Points Of Origin
by Lil-Miss-DiNozzo78
Summary: Chapter 10 is up. Sorry for the delay. Tiva love in this chapter.
1. Early Morning Riser

Authors Note: No idea how many chapters this will be. About five years ago I wrote another fic for another fandom with the same title. I have since deleted said fic and changed it so not only would it suck less, but would work for NCIS. Oh and there will be an original character in the next chapter. There will also be so McAbby in this fic for all you McAbby lovers. So enjoy the TIva and McAbby love. =)

**Chapter 1**

It was early in the bullpen, well for Tony DiNozzo it was. Yet for some odd reason here he was already at work, before everyone else. If Kate were still alive she would have said it would be a cold day in hell before Tony came to work early. It suddenly made him wonder if he could find a weather report for hell. Smiling to himself, Tony rubbed his hands together as he sat down at his computer and typed in weather report for hell. He was disappointed to see the closest place to hell her could find was Hellier, Kentucky where it was 56 degrees and raining. He then returned back to his web browser and typed in ANTHONY DINOZZO, before hitting the return key.

It wasn't long before everyone started to come in, and by that time Tony had found himself lost in an online video game. Some Mobster's game on Myspace. He only found it fitting that an Italian Stallion such as himself should play this. He was proud of his status and what he was becoming in the online mafia world. Soon he would be a real live Don Corleone, though he was much better looking than Marlon Brando. He was like McGee right now, only minus the princess and pointy-toed slippers.

As Ziva walked in and dropped her bag along side her desk Tony closed out the page and turned to her, smiling. "Rough night?"

Ziva narrowed her brown eyes on Tony. "My neighbors thought it would be a great idea to have party house until 3a.m. The music they played was so loud, and they were loud. I wanted to go over there and shoot them." She growled clenching her fists.

"It's called a house party Zi," He smiled at her. He loved when she would mess things up and he could correct her, it was the look on her face when he did said action that made him smile.

"Same thing." She replied bitterly and then yawned. "So how was that horror movie thing you and Abby went too last night?"

"Would have been a lot better if you were there." Tony confessed.

"Yes I know Tony, but I am not a fan of those movies and besides Abby would tell Gibbs we are breaking rule number 12." A look of worry crossed her eyes and her beautiful brown eyes grew wide as saucers. "Did she know it was me who called you last night?

Tony really hated that rule. That stupid rule limited many things he and Ziva could do. Like right now for instance Tony wanted nothing more then to kiss her, but thanks to rule 12, he could only do that in the privacy of his own home. "I never was one to follow rules David." Tony suggested, "and no she had no idea it was you. By the way I am going to hold you up to those things you said on the phone." He winked. "They pretty hot, and definitely peaked my interest." Grinning he looked down. "Peaked his interest too."

"Yes I know you do not follow the rules Tony, however I would not like it for Gibbs to kill me. Then have Vance tell my father. He would have me on the next plane back to Israel." A devilish grin crossed her lips. "You know I will not disappoint you Tony."

Resting his chin in the palm of his hand he stared at Ziva. "You never disappoint me Ziva, and that's what I like about you so much. Though you'll have to keep it down this weekend. I know you're a screamer and all, but my neighbors, the two elderly ones: Mr. and Mrs. Bergstein; have recently taken up smoking and I think we might be to blame for that. They're in their mid 80's I don't think smoking is good for them. Besides Mr. Bergstein patted me on the back and said good work the other day. It was kind of creepy. As for your father, you're a big girl Ziva, you're an adult and are free to do whatever it is you like."

Right away Ziva turned bright red when Tony mentioned his neighbors. "I am trying to keep it down Tony, I am doing a lot better than I was before. At least this time someone did not call the cops because they thought you were killing me." Her cheeks stayed red. "I am still attached to Mossad Tony, and my father can bring me home whenever he wants."

"Yeah that cop thing was pretty awkward huh?" He raised an eyebrow in question. "Problem is your screaming drives me insane, it's such a turn on, however only at lower decibels than usual." Hearing the elevator open Tony looked over and saw Gibbs walking out. "Yeah those jackhammers can be pretty hard on the hearing…" he quickly spoke. "Mornin' Boss."

At first Ziva was confused as to why Tony went from talking about sex to jackhammer, then she saw Gibbs. "Good Morning Gibbs, how are you?"

Gibbs smiled a bit sipping at his morning coffee. "I'm good and you Ziva?" He looked over at her.

"Oh I am a bit tired, my neighbors had a party that last well into the morning hours, but other than that I am king peachy."

Tony chuckled. "It's peachy keen, David."

"That too!" Ziva said pointing at Tony and smiling at him.

Tony turned his attention to his computer monitor as McGee walked in.

"Mornin' Boss; Tony, Ziva." He placed his bag down by his desk before sitting down.

"Mornin' Elf Lord." Smirked going back to his Myspace mob game.

Hearing his cell phone ring, Gibbs pulled it out. "Yeah?" he listened replying with a few simple words while writing something down. Closing his phone, he grabbed his coat, and SIG. "Gear up! A Marine was killed in an arson fire in Alexandria."

"I'm on your six Boss!" Tony shouted out grabbing his coat, SIG, as well as his gear and hurrying to catch up with Gibbs. He crossed the bullpen and stepped into the elevator, behind him followed Ziva, and McGee.


	2. Introductions

**Chapter 2**

The smell of wet and burned furniture hung throughout the smoldering remains of the three-bedroom ranch style house. For Arson investigator Katrina "Kat" Anderson this smell was becoming all too familiar. This was the fourth such fire in as many weeks; three people had already died. One was a firefighter killed in the line-of-duty. Scanning the room and letting her mind become aware with her surrounds Katrina sighed. "Better get to work," she thought to herself and crossed the charred floor towards the door. It was time to get her trusty sidekick, partner, and best friend; Blaze. Blaze was a two-year old yellow lab that was trained in detecting accelerants used in fires. To Kat, he was like her child. As Kat approached the car Blaze began to bark with excitement, he knew it was time to go to work. There were only a few things in life Blaze loved more than work: his tennis ball, a bowl filled with kibble, belly rubs, and peppermint ice cream.

Opening the door she attached the leash to his collar and lead him out of her car. Just as she did so she saw NCIS pull up. "Finally." She spoke out loud to herself. "C'mon we gotta go talk to someone." She walked with Blaze to the other side of her car. "Sit." The dog listened to her instructions and sat. "Good boy." She smiled and waited as an older man with silver hair slide out of a black Dodge Charger and approached her. "You mus' be Special Agent Gibbs?" Kat spoke. "I'm Katrina Anderson we spoke on the phone, " she smiled extending her hand. Just then Blaze started to bark. "Oh and this is Blaze." She laughed a bit.

Gibbs smiled just a bit. He wasn't expecting her to be so young , she didn't look much older than in early 20's. "Nice to meet you Ms. Anderson or do you go by investigator Anderson?" he shook her hand. "This is my team: Special Agents McGee and DiNozzo and officer David." He bent down and patted Blaze on top of the head. Blaze returned the gesture with a few big licks. "Nice too meet you as well Blaze." Gibbs laughed a bit.

Kat made a face, "You can call me Katrina or Kat." She smiled and nodded her head towards the rest of the team.

"Oh, Katrina? Like the hurricane?" Tony quipped.

"No Katrina as in if-you-mention-the-hurricane-again-I-will-kick-your-ass." She smiled.

McGee choked back a laugh. He liked this girl. Any woman that could keep DiNozzo in check was fine in his books.

"Point taken." Tony replied back. "Aren't you a bit young for this job? If you don't mind me asking that is?"

"DINOZZO!" Gibbs shot him a glance. Giving Blaze one last pat on the head, he stood straight again.

"It's ok Agent Gibbs." Katrina replied blushing a bit. "I get that a lot. It's really common. I'm 28 if you are wondering I'm the 4th generation Anderson in the fire service. My great-grandfather, grandfather, an' father were all firefighters for FDNY. I'm an only child, so figured I might as well carry on the tradition. Been hangin' 'round fire stations since I could walk."

"Next time he says something like that just slap," he hit Tony on the back of his head. "Like that. It always works." Gibbs said with a smile. Though he was definitely off when he guessed her age. Maybe it was how she dressed, nothing like any of the arson investigators he ever met before. Then again they were also middle-aged guys, with a beer gut.

Katrina laughed a bit. "Ok, I don't thin' I'll have a problem doin' that."

"Wow," McGee commented. "How did your dad feel about you being a firefighter?"

"At first he wasn't too happy wanted, a quote an' quote, better life for his little girl, but he eventually got over it. I started out as a cadet, in a small Satan Island volunteer fire department." She smiled proudly. "Started FDNY when I was 20, I graduated two weeks afta' 9-11." She replied.

Tim cracked a small smiled. "I bet your dad was real proud? Loudest one in the audience?"

Katrina was silent for a few seconds before taking a deep breath.

Right away Gibbs knew what was coming and he felt bad for the girl. He made a mental note to smack McGee, then again it wasn't McGee's fault. He didn't know.

"My dad was killed on 9-11."

"Smooth move McBuzzkillington." DiNozzo said smacking him on the back of the head before Gibbs even had a chance. "Break the girls' heart why don't you?"

Tim suddenly felt like such a jackass. "I am so sorry, I shouldn't have said anything." Rubbing the back of his head he shot Tony a glance. "I said I was sorry." He growled.

Katrina shook her head. "It's ok, don't worry about it. You didn't know. C'mon we should get inside I think Blaze wants to get to work." She turned and started back towards the burned out house.

"You did not need to hit McGee, Tony. He did not know about her father." Ziva whispered to him. "It was not his fault."

"He' is an NCIS agent David, he's trained to know these thing. Gibbs taught him to anticipate." He followed Gibbs and Katrina into what was left of the Marine's home.

"I'll show you the body first." Katrina said guiding them in. "You said that you're having your own medical examiner come in?"

"Yes, Dr. Mallard." Gibbs replied following her to the body. Once he saw it, it was hard to believe that at one time it was a Marine. "How did you know he was a Marine?"

"Fires brin' out the onlookers, I heard the fire come across my scanner an' came out here. I talked to a few neighbors of his an' they said he had been deployed in Iraq an' returned home last week. They only knew because of his uniform an' the fact his sweatshirts all said Marines on it. The place was for rent until he moved in. I called the landlord an' left a message for him to call me back. Hopefully he can give me a name from the lease." She tugged on Blaze's leash. "Sit." She turned back towards Gibbs. "I don't mind your medical examiner taking the body I just have an issue with the evidence an' everythin'. This is the fourth fire like this for me, an' I am pretty sure I have a serial arsonist on my hands. Jackass killed a firefighter in the first fire. I'm gunna get this asshole if it's the last thin' I do. We're gunna haveta work together on this one, sorry Agent Gibbs."

"That's no problem, you have a job to do."

"Whoa, Gibbs is actually going to work with another agency on a case?" Tony spoke to Ziva. "There is a first for everything."

"She is not an agency Tony. She is just one girl that, like Gibbs said, has a job to do." Ziva shook her head. "It is not like she is Trent Kourt or anyone else."

"Thanks. Well I will let you guys, an' gal get to work. I am gunna take Blaze here through the buildin' an' see if his nose can pick up where the fire started. By the intensity of the blaze I have no doubts some sorta hydrocarbon was used. After I finish with him, gunna get some pictures and collect some evidence myself. Oh I have before photos, while it was burning, if you are interested." She stared at the body. "Gagging by the intensity of the burn patterns, an' how the wood floor has an alligator pattern, my guess is the fire started somewhere in this vicinity, our Marine here may have been trying to put it out, when he was over come by the smoke."

"I think you mean the fire killed him" Tony spoke up as he stared at the blackened body, "he's burned pretty bad."

"Smoke is gunna get you first Agent DiNozzo. It is DiNozzo right? Contrary to popular belief it's the smoke, not the fire that will kill you."

Gibbs smiled to himself when he noticed the frustrated look on his agents face.

"Any idea of how the fire might have started?" Tony asked her looking around.

Katrina shrugged and smiled at Tony. "Mice with matches Agent DiNozzo. You really gotta look out for those little bastards."

**AN: So tell me what you think so far? Should I continue? Do I have your interest peaked yet? Yes? No? Maybe so? Also I am looking for a trusty beta, if interested email me at and we can discuss it more.**


	3. Don't Call Him Sir

**_Authors Note: This chapter might be a little weird, I have been sick so my mind hasn't been clear. Next chapter which will be posted soon is going to have Tiva and some McAbby. So look for that. Thanks to those who are taking the time to review it. You guys rock and are awesome. I love getting feedback on my fics, as long as it isn't flames. So enjoy this for now._**

**Chapter 3_  
_**

"I'll be down in a minuet Duck, and thanks." Gibbs said ending the phone conversation, getting up from his desk he pointed over at Kat. "You, come with me. Ducky has something." He motioned for Katrina to follow him with his finger.

Kat looked at the fire simulator McGee was running on his computer. "Save that! I want to see what happens. Blaze you stay here with McGee!" She replied hurrying to catch up with Gibbs.

"No problem." McGee smiled and watched her go.

Katrina stepped into the elevator just as the doors started to close. "Sorry sir, I was fascinated with that program McGee has, the one I have isn't nearly as realistic."

"Don't call me sir. Just call me Gibbs." He replied facing forward.

"Sorry Sir, I mean Gibbs." Katrina replied feeling dumber and dumber by the moment. The elevator came to a stop and the doors opened.

"Never say sorry, it's a sign of weakness." Gibbs told the young arson investigator as he stepped off the elevator.

"Don't call Gibbs, sir and saying sorry is a sign of weakness," Katrina said to herself making a mental note of what she was dubbing Gibbsisms.

"You coming?" he turned when he noticed Katrina had not followed him and was still standing in the elevator with a very confused look in her eyes.

"Oh uhm yeah." She took a step out of the elevator and walked over to Gibbs.

"What do you got Ducky?" Gibbs questioned the older man as he walked through the doors to autopsy.

"Well Jethro I do know our friend here didn't die in the fire." Ducky spoke as he held a file. "There were no inhalation burns in his lungs."

"He was dead before the fire-" Katrina spoke out loud to herself.

"Yes, very good. Do you want to know how he died?"

Katrina cut Ducky off. "He was shot…the other victim was shot as well." The color drained from her face.

Gibbs turned to her. "Do you have the case file for the other victim? Do you know his name?"

"Yes and no. I have the files back at my office I can get them. We were never able to identify him. The fire happened in an abandoned warehouse, I thought, well he was homeless. Couldn't get any fingers prints, and the DNA turned up nothing." Her eyes were focused intently on the burned corpse.

"Go get the files, and think you can get the DNA as well? I can have Abby run them through or databanks. NCIS can search a wider criteria than the state can."

"Yeah no problem I can do that, I hadda head there anyway and get Blaze his lunch." Katrina nodded her head a few times and then looked at her watch. "I uhm, I can be back in about an hour. Unless the beltway is a mess which mean an hour and 30, I'll take route 1 in then."

"Good, in the meantime I'll call your supervisor, tell him I want you here at NCIS until this thing is solved and see what kind of arrangements we can do to make that happen."

"Dr. Mallard." Katrina spoke up.

"What is it Ms. Anderson?"

"Please call me Kat." She blushed a bit.

"In that case my child, you can call me Ducky." He responded with a small genuine smile.

"Ducky, uhm the county M.E still has the body from the other fire, can I have him bring it here to NCIS, have you go over it? Maybe he missed something? He's really busy, so anything is possible."

Ducky smiled and nodded his head. "I will give him a call for you, go on now. I am sure your poor dog is starving."

She laughed. "Yeah he usually has had lunch by now, he's probably not happy with me. So I'll see you in about an hour Agent Gibbs." With that she turned and headed out the doors and back up to the bullpen.

**NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS**

Just like Katrina had promised she was back to NCIS in an hour. "I would have been here sooner Agent Gibbs," she followed him carrying a box with files inside it. "But the guard at the gate was givin' me issues, I finally convinced I was here helpin' you on a case. He kept askin' me for my school ID an' I kept havin' to tell him I haven't been in high school in ten years."

Gibbs laughed a bit, holding another box that Katrina had brought. "I'll get that taken care of, it shouldn't be a problem tomorrow."

"So Captain Wellington had no issues with me workin' here while I am on this case?" She raised an eyebrow in question as they headed down to autopsy.

"At first he was a little hesitant, thought it was a joke. I promised him it wasn't and that this case was important. We worked things out, he's going to bring in someone else to cover you work there while you are here. Just let him know when you will be coming back." Like always Gibbs anticipated her next question. "You'll still be on the payroll."

"How did'ja know I was goin' to ask that Agent Gibbs?" She couldn't wait to get rid of this box.

"I always anticipate." He smiled proudly as the elevator dinged and the doors opened.

"I've only been here a few hours an' already I have gained a wealth of knowledge from you Agent Gibbs." She smiled a bit adjusting the box in her arms. They walked through the automatic doors into the autopsy.

Gibbs smiled and took the box from her arms. "I have more to teach, I have rules."

"Rules?"

"I have about 50 of them."

Katrina was confused. "Is there a list of these rules Agent Gibbs?"

"No, no there's no list."

Katrina stood in her place running her fingers through her strawberry blond hair. "Then how am I 'pose to know 'em? What'd I ask Agent DiNozzo or someone an' hope I get 'em all before the pop quiz?"

Gibbs smiled and shook his head. "There won't be a quiz and you won't have to ask DiNozzo. If you are here long enough I will teach them to you."

"Ok that sounds fair." Kat nodded her head a few times. "What are the rules for anyways?"

"Someone very important once told me everyone needs a code to live by."

"Agent Gibbs." Jimmy Palmer spoke up walking through the automatic doors. 'Dr. Mallard said you would be here. He went to pick up a body and some evidence from the Arlington County corner." He smiled when he noticed Katrina. "Ms. Anderson. Yes. Dr. Mallard he uh, he told me about you, he uh he should be back very soon I think." He was staring at Katrina.

"You think Palmer?" Gibbs bellowed.

"I uh oh no I know he will and where are my manners." He extended his hand outwards to Katrina. "I'm Jimmy it is very nice to met you Ms. Anderson."

Kat reached out and shook Jimmy's hand. "Same here, an' please call me Kat."

He nodded his head nervously. "Right, Kat. So I will tell Dr. Mallard you brought the files by when he gets here. You want him to call you when he arrives Agent Gibbs."

Gibbs just nodded and headed out of autopsy as Katrina followed. "Did you eat anything yet?"

Katrina shook her head. "I kind of forgot to eat. Really wasn't anytime Agent Gibbs."

"Go get something to eat and I'll see you in the bullpen in about 30 minuets. I'll take you down to meet Abby after that."

"Sounds good. So how are the vending machines here then? That's where I get my lunch usually." She turned pink with embarrassment. "I know it ain't exactly the most healthiest of lunches, but I'm a creature of habit, what can I say?"

A short while later Katrina found herself sitting with McGee at his desk. She had a few bags of chips, some snack cakes, a bag of M&M's, and a soda. Once again she was watching the fire simulator program. "If I brought in my laptop you could put this program on it? 'cause this is freakin' awesome. I can't believe I didn't know 'bout this."

"Oh look Ziva, McGeek has a girl friend." Tony peered over towards Tim's desk. "Our little probie is falling in love with Sparky."

"Shut up Tony!" Tim retorted.

"Yeah Tony shut up!" Katrina growled shooting Tony a glance. "So Tim can you run a flashover through the scenario?"

"Besides Tony Kat has a boy friend." He turned to Kat. "Can I? Watch this!"

Tony now approached McGee's desk. "So you have a boy friend huh?"

"Actually I am engaged." She pulled out a chain that had a ring hanging from it.

"What does he do for a living?" The curious agent asked.

"He works at Reagan Airport. Puts fuel into the planes an' whatnot." She didn't take her eyes off the screen as she watched McGee.

"What does he look like?"

"Tony!" Ziva finally spoke up. "Leave Kat alone. She and McGee are busy. Stop asking her so many questions."

He turned and eyed Ziva. "I am an agent trying to get to know someone who will be working with us for an undisclosed amount of time. I am just doing my job." He turned back towards Katrina. "So?"

"What?" She looked at Tony. "You want something DiNozzo?"

"You're fiancé, what does he look like?"

"What are you writing a romance novel? Leave that chapter out." Shaking her head Katrina turned back to the computer. "Dude that was awesome. So if I were to give you to specs on a fire could you recreate it with this? I'd like to know more 'bout how Firefighter Becker died. I know it was a flashover, but I didn't get there until after it happened, an' I've had so many sketchy details."

"Yeah just give me what you have and I will see what I can do. I never used this program before today, never needed too."

Katrina smiled and kissed the side of Tim's temple. "Thanks Tim."

"HEY! No PDA with the Probie. Probie, no probing Sparky." Tony shouted trying to sound like their father.

Katrina snapped her head around. "No one is gunna be probin' me DiNozzo. As for the kiss. If you do somethin' good an' if you're a good boy maybe you'll get one too."

Tony was chewing on a pen cap. "Really? How good? Can I pick where you kiss me?"

"Tony!" Ziva shouted.

"What?" He shrugged.

"You're mind is in the gutter DiNozzo." Katrina spoke loudly.

"His mind would be homeless if it wasn't I the gutter." Gibbs spoke walking to his desk, he quickly grabbed something, while carrying a very large cup of caf-pow in his hands. 'C'mon Abby has something."

**NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS**

Katrina smiled a bit. "Thanks Abby, for doin' this. Our lab doesn't have nearly this kinda stuff, this is really amazing. Everythin' here is. Special Agent Mcgee-"

Tony quipped up. "Probie wants Sparky to wrangle his firehose!"

"Shut up Tony!" McGee snapped at him.

"Hold on one second Abby." She turned around and slugged Tony in the arm. 'This isn't grade school DiNozzo."

"OW! That hurt. You hit hard!" Tony frowned. "Ziva, Sparky hit me and it hurt." He rubbed his arm still frowning and pouting like a child.

"You're lucky it wasn't me DiNozzo." Gibbs handed Abby her caf-pow and kissed her on the cheek. "That's good work Abby. Kat try calling that landlord again."

"No problem agent Gibbs."

"Tony take Ziva with you and talk to the property owner from the first fire Kat had."

"On it Boss." Tony replied still rubbing his arm.

"McGee! Look for any other suspicious fires in the tri-state area that match these fires."

"On it."

"MCGEE!" Abby shouted with a huge smile. "We still going out for pizza tonight, please, you can't meet my bowling team." She batted her eyelashes at him.

Tim could feel his cheeks fill with warmth. Only Abby could do this to him. "Eight O'clock right? I'll be there."

"Yay!" Abby cheered jumping up and down a bit. "Oh and McGee wear your leather jacket, you look good in it."

"Leather jacket, yeah got it." With that he turned and headed back up to the bullpen.

The lab was empty now expect for Abby and Katrina. "You and McGee are you like-"

"A couple?" Abby cut her off shaking her head, "no. We use to be."

"What happened? I mean you guys well, you seem kind of cute together."

"Awwwwwww Kat that's so sweet." She shrugged. "I don't know it got really hinky and all."

"I think McGee still like you." Kat playfully elbowed him.

"Tim? No. We're friends. What we had was in the past."

"Do you still like him?"

Abby was silent as she took a sip of her caf-pow. "You should try this stuff it's really good." She told Katrina trying to change the subject.

"So then you do still like him? I've been around men for a long time, an' I can read 'em like a book. Take DiNozzo for instance. He's a good guy, just really over compensates an' comes off as a jackass. McGee, I could see it in his eyes. He likes you, well still likes you. He got so excited when you mentioned the pizza."

"Really?" Abby turned to her. "I don't know, maybe you're reading it wrong."

"Please trust me when I say I'm not. You should give it a try."

Abby snorted. "Can't. Rule number 12."

"What?" Katrina tilted her head in confusion.

"Gibbs' rules. Number 12 is no dating co-workers."

"Oh, Gibbs tol' me he had rules. Said everyone hasta have some kinda code. Well you an' McGee aren't really co-workers. Uhm you…you jus' happen to work in the same buildin'." Katrina held up her index finger as she thought. "Yeah, so you wouldn't really be datin' a co-worker."

Abby thought as she listened to the girl then started talking a mile a minuet, her hand animated as ever. "But what if you are reading this all wrong. What if McGee doesn't really like me and when I ask him he laughs or says he has a girl friend or I don't know, but what if he really doesn't like me and I make a fool out of myself."

"Whoa! Abby slow down." Katrina laughed a little shaking her head. "I honestly don't think that is something you need to worry about. McGee seems to really be into you. However, McGee definitely is a shy person and I am sure that is stopping him from asking you out. So you are gunna have to be the one to do it, or clearly it will never happen."

"You sure?" Why was she so scared to ask Tim? Why was this so hard? She never worried about stuff like this before.

"You should do it tonight." She quickly wrote down her phone number. "Call me and let me know what happens."

"Oh I will, and if he rejects me I am so kicking your ass."

"If he rejects I'll even drive myself over to your house so you can kick my ass. Right now though, I better make that phone call."

"Yeah you might want too Gibbs is kind of serious about that stuff." She smiled a bit. "Hey, Kat?"

"Yeah what is it?" She asked pulling out her BlackBerry.

"Thanks."

Kat just stood there waiting for Abby to elaborate.

Abby couldn't stop smiling. "For suggesting I ask Tim out."

"Oh. OH, no problem. Have fun tonight." She replied and started to dial the number crossing the floor of Abby's lab and making headway to the elevator.

Abby turned back and faced her computer. "I like that girl."

By the time the elevator reached her floor Katrina was just about done with her phone call. "Yeah, it's not your fault. Mr. Wang, it happens a lot. Trust me. No matter how many times I tell them, they never listen. Thanks for your response and I will make a note to throttle my co-workers." Ending the call Katrina slipped her BlackBerry into her back pocket. "So our victim was Corporal Mark Sanders. Mr. Wang who is Corporal Sanders' landlord said he paid first and last months rent all in cash, and then paid the upcoming months rent in check. Never had a problem with him in his short time there. " Katrina stood in front of Gibbs' desk. "If you would like he said that I could come pick up a copy of the lease, and the cancelled check." She stood waiting for orders. "I mean not sure what good they will do us, but it's a start."

Gibbs nodded his head a few times listening to the girl. "You have any idea of what accelerant was used in the fires?"

"The first three fires, diesel fuel was used, with antioxidants added to prevent gumming. This last one, I don't know yet. Abby is running analysis of the chemical to find out for me. She said she could have it in an hour maybe two. My guys would take two to three days. So as of now I am just waiting to hear from Abby. She even said she might be able to track down the manufacture of the fuel. Apparently it should have it's own chemical makeup or something. She lost me with a lot of her big fancy words."

"Good work." He cracked a small smile. "When Abby calls you with the results, have her give me a call."

"Got it Agent Gibbs, and for now I am going to see a man named Wang about a lease."


	4. Secrets

**Authors Note: With finals coming up this might be the last chapter for a while. I have a lot of projects due and need to get them done, before I do this. Please leave some feedback and let me know if it is even worth continuing. Thanks for reading in the meantime.**

**Chapter 4**

Ziva looked at Tony, his naked body covered in sweat. "So?"

He grinned pulling the sheets over them and kissed her passionately on the lips. "You are one amazing woman David, you really are." He ran the back of his hand along side her cheek.

"What are you smiling at Tony?" Ziva raised an eyebrow in question.

"I'm smiling at how beautiful you are Ziva, you're gorgeous. How did I get so lucky?" Tony loved Ziva, but he was scared to tell her. What if it was too soon? What if she wasn't into what they had, like he was? What if it was just sex for her? Even before Tony got into the relationship with Ziva he knew it was more than just sex for him. He knew he had honest feelings for Ziva. Feelings that were so intense, they scared him. Unlike Jeanne these feelings weren't a lie. There was nothing about his feelings for Ziva that were a lie. He really loved her.

She smiled and stole a kiss. "I often wonder that myself. How did you get so lucky?" Ziva grinned staring into his eyes. "Because you really are very lucky Tony." In reality Ziva knew she was the lucky one. She had found an incredible person in Tony, one she loved very much. Ziva could see herself growing old with Tony. There was one problem, Ziva was pretty sure that Tony didn't see things that way. Tony was a manwhore, or that's what American's called it. While she may have been ready to tell Tony he was the one, and that she couldn't see herself with anyone else, but she was scared to tell Tony, Ziva was sure he didn't feel the same way back.

"We have to get up for work in five hours." Tony groaned as he leaned in and kissed Ziva. "I really hate mornings. At least there is one good thing about this. I get to see you when I wake up." The smiled from his face didn't fade. "Just try not to snore like a drunken sailor tonight." He playfully teased her.

Ziva returned the kiss and smiled, running her finger down his chest. "You do, don't you?" She grinned. "Well only if you promise not to snore either Anthony DiNozzo."

He pulled Ziva close to him, letting his lips meet hers. He loved how sweet she tasted, the smell of her shampoo. It had a fruity smell that he couldn't get enough of. He ran his finger along her muscular, toned arms. There wasn't a single inch on Ziva's body that Tony did not love. "I promise not to snore. With all your ninja skills there is no telling what you could or would do to me." He smirked. Tony was about to say something else when he noticed Ziva was sound to asleep. His beautiful girl was asleep in his arms. Not wanting to weak her up he carefully reached over and shut off the light. "Goodnight my beautiful ninja."

**NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS**

Tim pulled up in front of Abby's house. "Your bowling team is, well interesting to say the least."

"Sister Rosemary is so awesome." Abby animatedly spoke.

"Yeah 65-years-old and she can still do the splits." Tim chuckled a bit.

"Sister Rosemary is definitely bitchin'." Abby's cheerful voice boom. "So are you coming in?" She raised an eyebrow. "Please?"

"Uh I don't know Abby. It's really late and I gotta work tomorrow?"

"So do I, please." Abby begged Tim. "Come in, you can spend the night." Abby coaxed him.

"I really don't know if that is a good idea." Tim retorted.

Abby sighed. "Fine then can you at least come in for a little bit and look at my computer? I think I might a virus or something." Stupid excuse but if it got Tim into her apartment it was better than nothing.

"You have the best security system on your computer, how could you possibly have a virus?"

She gave him a bashful look, "I don't know it's just acting all weird. Please."

Letting out a reluctant sigh Tim cut the engine off. "Fine, but if it's going to take long you'll have to wait until the weekend for me to fix it."

"Yay! Thanks Tim!" Abby cheered and quickly climbed out of the car. "Don't worry it won't take long at all, I promise." Abby knew that this was going to be her only chance to make her first move, to do what she needed to do to get the guy.

Once inside Tim slipped out of his leather jacket and hung it over the back of Abby's chair, before crossing the living room floor and sitting down at her computer. He allowed it to boot up to her home screen and started to search through it. "Abby I don't see anything resembling a virus on your computer, are you sure you have-" he turned around in his chair and stopped midsentence.

"Yeah I know," Abby stood in front of him, wearing a red and black gothic style, teddy. It reveled just enough. Smiling at him, she toyed with the red silk ribbon on the top. "I had to get you up here some how McGee. You weren't being real corporative." She took a few steps and enclosed the gap between them.

Tim blinked a few times as he stammered for words but only managed to say one thing. "Wow…"

"So does that mean you like it?" Abby asked taking the final steps between them, swinging her leg over his lap, she sat down facing him.

"I uhm, I uh…Abby's it's really late. I should probably get go-" he was cut off as her lips pressed against his hard.

"I think you should stay." She spoke in a s seductive voice, after breaking the kiss. "Please."

Tim looked back at her. "Abby I don't know, I mean…"

"I never stopped liking you Tim, I always have, and I want us…I want it to be like it was. I missed that. I miss you, I miss us Tim. I want to be us again."

"Abby you know we can't do that. Gibbs'-"

"I know rule number 12 never date a co-worker. But…" she thought back to what Katrina had said in her lab and smile swept across her face. "We aren't really co-workers."

"Huh?" Tim was confused.

"We aren't really co-workers." she slid off his lap and started to pace back and fourth, making a list on her fingers. "See we just work in the same building. You're an NCIS agent…"

Tim watched her walk back and fourth and swore she was going to wear a hole into her floor.

"I am a Forensic scientist who just happens to work in the same building, so really we aren't co-workers. I mean just because we work in the same building doesn't mean we are co-"

"Abby." Tim smiled and took her by her arms in the middle of her pacing. "Abby," he didn't stop smiling as he leaned in for a kiss. "It's ok, it's ok. I get it." He did like her, and he always had. Tim really never could figure out why they broke up, but if she was willing to give it another try he wasn't going to say no.

Abby deepened the kiss, pulling Tim closer to him as she lead him to her sofa and pulled him down on top of her. Not breaking the kiss she started to unbutton his shirt and tossed it to the floor. Soon his pants and boxers followed. It was close to 1a.m. but neither of them would be sleeping tonight, and for once Tim didn't care.

**NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS**

"So…" Katrina was sitting in the lab with Abby. "Was that all that happened?" She asked in an eager tone.

"Well yeah, I am not giving you the play by play if that's what you're asking." She turned around and faced Kat frowning. "That really looks like it hurts."

"Ew, God now. That's gross. So then I take it you two are like a couple now or somethin'?" Katrina shook her head. "It's really worse than it looks I swear."

"You should have Ducky take a look at that."

"Have Ducky take a look at what?" Gibbs asked walking into the lab.

"Kat's black eye. She got it playing basketball at the firehouse."

Gibbs stopped and looked at Katrina's eye saying nothing.

"An elbow made contact with my face an' my face lost." She joked. "One of the guys went up for a jump shot an' on his way down, BAM!" She laughed nervously.

Gibbs peered at the black eye a little closer. "Abby's right, you should let Ducky take a look at that."

"It's jus' a black eye. Isn't my first an' I doubt it will be my last."

"You really don't have an option Anderson." Gibbs said in a firm voice. "This way."

Kat sighed a bit, "I'll see you later ok, and maybe we can have lunch together?"

"Yeah that sounds good, sorry about your eye." Abby spoke in an apologetic voice.

**NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS**

Ducky leaned in closer and pressed gently on Katrina's eye socket. "Playing basketball huh?"

Katrina winced as he pressed down. "Yeah the guys wanted to have a three-on-three game. I really wanted to get home, but it's hard to play three-on-three with five players. Plus they looked really sad an' pathetic when they were beggin' me, I couldn't say no."

Ducky cracked a small smile. "Well nothing looks broken, and there doesn't appear to be any damage to the retina. Just put some ice on it for the swelling, and take some aspirin for the pain. You'll be fine my dear girl. I do not suggest that you play any basketball for a few days though."

"Thanks Dr. Mallard." She smiled back at him. "A'd don't worry I won't be playing basketball in time soon. My days of pretending to be like Mike," she used air quotes around like Mike, "are done. It's a little too much for me." She turned to Gibbs. "May I go now agent Gibbs?"

Gibbs nodded. "Sure." He started to follow her out the door when Ducky called for him.

"Jethro, may I have a word with you?"

Katrina stopped and turned towards Gibbs.

"I'll meet you upstairs." He nodded his head towards her.

"No problem." She smiled and walked away through the automatic doors.

Ducky waited until he knew Katrina was gone. "I don't think she got that black eye playing basketball, Jethro. Someone hit her, and whoever hit her; they hit her hard."

"Are you sure Ducky?" Gibbs voice didn't waver, but he was definitely worried. He wasn't going to just sit back and allow a man to hit a woman, especially a woman who was working for his team.

"I am almost positive. There was a slight impression, a marking of sorts, below her eyes right on the bone. I could only make 'out of 1999'. It looked to be that of class ring. A male's class ring. Whoever did this to Katrina, was wearing a ring. She got very lucky that nothing was broken and no serious damage was done to her eye."

Gibbs took a sip of his coffee. He could feel his blood boiling. He was beyond pissed.

"The way she was acting, I am sure this isn't the first time that someone has hit her."

"Thanks Duck." he said with a firm nod and headed towards the elevator.

Katrina walked into the bullpen and smiled at McGee. "Mornin' McGee."

"Ouch your eye." He commented making a slight worried face. "it looks really painful."

McGee's word's caught Tony' attention. "Whoa who'd you piss off Sparky?" He asked popping a corn chip into his mouth. "Did you forget to take out the trash and the boy toy beat you around a bit?" He smirked laughing a bit.

"Yeah I was playing basketball at the firehouse and took an elbow to the eye. No big deal." Suddenly her body language changed and she shot Tony a hard stare. "Shut the hell up DiNozzo!" She shook her head. "Listen," her voice was suddenly cold and distant, "tell Gibbs I will be back in ten minuets, I'm gunna go across the street, and get some coffee." Without another word she was gone.

"Where is she?" Gibbs asked walking off the elevator and into the bullpen.

"Ziva?" DiNozzo asked. "Stuck on the beltway, there was a pile up." She had really gone home to shower and was running late.

"Not Ziva! Katrina! Where is Katrina?"

"She went across the street to get some coffee Boss, that's a pretty nasty black eye she had there, musta been some hell of a basketball game." DiNozzo looked up at Gibbs as he spoke.

"It wasn't from a basketball game DiNozzo, someone hit her." He replied turning around and heading back towards the elevator.

"Damn it!" Tony said slamming his fist on his desk. "Me and my big mouth." He gave himself his own Gibbs slap. "I REALLY need to think before I speak."

"You didn't mean it Tony, sure it was a stupid comment, but you didn't mean it. I am sure Kat would understand." McGee was trying to reason with him.

"I should have known Probie. I've seen it before, I should have known better."

"Everyone makes mistakes, it's really not a big deal."

Tony stared at McGee, "last time I made a mistake like that, some guy beat his wife to death in front of their 5-year-old kid; so yeah McGee it is a big deal. I won't be making that mistake again."

McGee didn't even know what to say to Tony, all that he knew was that he was now worried for Kat.


	5. He loves me

Authors Note: Thanks for hanging in with me so far. I don't know when chapter six will be up, as I have no idea what to do for that chapter yet. So in the mean time, hope you like this chapter

**Chapter 5**

The line in the coffee shop moved up slowly, and Katrina felt like she was never going to get her coffee. Finally She managed to make it to the counter. "Yeah gimmie a extra large Peppermint Mocha, extra whip cream please." Katrina pulled out her credit card and was about to pay when she felt a hand on top of hers.

"Extra large black, no cream, no sugar." Gibbs looked at Katrina. "I'll pay for it. You…" he pointed to an empty table, "go over there and sit. We need to talk."

Katrina was about to argue with him, but the look on his face told her not too. Saying nothing she walked over to the empty table and sat down. Her mind raced with a million thoughts. Kat wasn't stupid, she could read his face, see his body language and she knew that he knew. Now all she had to do was try and convince him what he thought wasn't real.

With both coffees in his hand Gibbs walked over to the table. "How do you drink this crap?" He asked placing the cup in front of her, and then sat down himself.

"I could ask the same about yours." Kat stared at her steaming beverage.

"You didn't get that black eye playing basketball did'ja?" His voice told Kat he wasn't in the mood for any jokes.

"It's a long story Agent Gibbs." Kat still couldn't bring herself to make eye contact with him. She was sure if she did he could see that she was lying.

"Well we both have plenty of coffee so start speaking."

Kat chewed on her bottom lip remaining silent as she sipped her coffee.

"You gunna tell me who hit you?" Gibbs asked leaning in, he titled his head so he could look at her.

Kat looked up and her glace met Gibbs steel blue eyes.

"I'm waiting Kat." He was doing his best to keep his temper under control. They were in public and he didn't want to attract any attention.

Kat could feel herself caving with each passing second. It was something about Gibbs' stare that was eating away at her. "My fiancé… her voice cracked and her scared eyes locked on to her cup of coffee.

"Does he have a name?"

"N-Neil Va-Vahonic, Neil Vahonic." Her voice cracked and tears threatened her eyes. "I can't do this, least not here, I…I need some air, I…I cannot do this here Agent Gibbs." Her grip around the paper cup was so tight that she crushed it, sending the searing hot beverage everywhere. "Damnit!" Katrina pushed back from the table avoiding most of the liquid as she could. "I'm such an idiot. God I'm so stupid."

Gibbs jumped up as well. "Hey, hey…it's ok." He turned to the barista, "Can I get a cold rag now!" he shouted. "Listen it's ok Kat, relax…it's ok and you're not stupid." He cupped her face in his hands. "It's ok." Taking the cold rag from the barista, Gibbs thanked her and placed it over Katrina's hand. He was sure the hot coffee had to have hurt. The cold rag would cool it down, and hopefully the burn wouldn't be bad.

"I need fresh air," Katrina spoke standing to her feet she held up the cold rag for a moment, "thanks." Casting Gibbs a soft smile she laid the rag on the table and exited the coffee shop, she didn't have to look behind her to see if Gibbs was following her, she could feel his looming presence. She had to get outside, Katrina could feel her chest walls tightening all of it was just too much for her right now.

Gibbs gave Katrina a few seconds to gather herself together before he spoke. "Where can I find this Neil Vahonic? I'd like to have a talk to him. Man to man."

"No! Please Agent Gibbs just let me handle it." Katrina's voice filled with panic. "Please. I'll take care of it. Please."

"I am not sure if I should do that Katrina."

"Just give me a chance Agent Gibbs, I don't want to drag anyone into my messes."

"You're not dragging anyone in, I want to talk to him, because I want to talk to him." His voice was firm.

"I just want a chance to talk to him first." Katrina sighed, her voice pleading with Agent Gibbs.

He didn't like what he was about to do, but the girl wanted a chance. "He even looks at you the wrong way, you tell him I will hunt him down, and he won't have to worry about a black eye, 'cause I will kill him."

"I will be sure to get the memo to him Agent Gibbs."

"You have some clothes you can change into?"

Katrina looked at her shirt, covered in coffee. "My jeans are fine, I just need a shirt or something."

Gibbs nodded his head, "I think I have a shirt back at NCIS, come on, we should get back there before DiNozzo burns the place down."

"Ooh, do we have too? I could arrest 'im then." Kat smirked.

**NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS**

"Gibbs is late?" Ziva asked finally walking into the bullpen. "That is not like Gibbs."

"No Gibbs' isn't late, Ziva." Tony dryly commented sitting in front of his computer. "He went looking for Kat." Still angry at himself for the comment, Tony pushed away from his desk and stood up. "I gotta take a leak."

Ziva eyed him suspiciously. "Was it something that I said?" She drew her focus on McGee now.

Tim looked up at Ziva and shook his head, "no, Tony made a comment to Katrina early. She had a black eye, and she said it was from basketball, but it wasn't. Someone hit her. Tony didn't know that was the case. It was a joke something about her not taking out the garbage or something and her fiancé hitting her. She got really weird and left, then Gibbs came in and told us it wasn't from a basketball game."

"Her fiancé gave her a black eye? So why is Tony so upset? He always says things like that. If it was a joke as you say?"

"I really don't know Ziva, but he's pissed at himself now." Tim replied typing away on his keyboard.

"If Gibbs comes back let him know I am here. I am going to go and see where Tony went." She already had an idea. Getting up from her desk she headed towards the men's room. Ziva didn't even bother to knock. "Tim told me what you said. Tony you did not know."

"It's called a men's room for a reason Ziva." He stood at the urinal and shook before zipping up his pants. He made eye contact with her for a moment and then walked over to the sink and washed his hands.

"You should not beat yourself up over this Tony."

"When I was a homicide cop in Baltimore," he grabbed some paper towels to dry his hands off. "We arrested some guy for hitting his wife. Brought him in and everything. Few hours later his wife came back, and she bailed him out. She said that her husband didn't mean to hit her, it was an accident, and that he loved her. That night he took a Louisville Slugger and bashed her skull in, right in front of their 5-year-old kid. It was one of the most gruesome scenes I have ever seen. The kid is now living with his grandparents all because his father loved his mother so much."

"Tony that is like comparing pears to oranges. It is not the same thing." Ziva retorted crossing her arms over her chest as she stared at Tony.

"The phrase is apples to oranges and it might as well be. I made a joke about something that isn't funny and is probably actually happening to her. I couldn't stop it that time, but I will be damned if I let it happen again, Ziva." Tony leaned against the sink, "she was only 24-years-old, and her husband took his son's mother away from him; just for beer."

"Well if Katrina's fiancé is hitting her, I am sure Gibbs will do something about it. He is not one to just ignore these kind of things."

"As soon as I saw her black eye I should have know, I shouldn't have said anything either. " Tony ran his fingers through his spiky hair.

Ziva took a few steps closer. "I am sure that if you talk to Katrina she will understand. Tell her you are sorry and that you did not mean it. I am sure she will give you another chance. Maybe she might even be willing to talk to you about what is happening to her, as well."

**NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCSNCISNCIS**

By the time Gibbs had returned back from the coffee shop with Katrina both Ziva and Tony were back at their desks.

Tony waited for Gibbs to sit down. "Did Kat go home?"

"No, she's changing into a sweatshirt, she spilled coffee on herself." Came Gibbs' reply.

Tony walked over to Gibbs' desk and stood in front of him. "Was it her fiancé? Did he hit her Boss?"

"Yup." He replied.

"You going to do anything about it?" Tony pondered.

"Nope. She won't let me." He looked up. "Got his name though. Run a background check on Neil Vahonic." He told Tony.

"Uhm, uh can McGee do it Boss, I uhm I kind gotta talk to Kat, I said something real stupid to her and I want to apologize."

"I don't mind doing it for him." McGee quipped. "I can do it Boss."

Gibbs looked from Tony over to McGee. "Just someone do it." He ordered.

Tony was still standing in front of Gibbs' desk.

"Well if you are going to talk to her DiNozzo go talk to her, we don't have all day."

Tony nodded and went to leave but stopped. "Uhm where-"

"The ladies room." Gibbs said knowing his question.

With no more questions and nothing else to say Tony headed down the hallway towards the ladies room, where he waited outside for Katrina." As the door open he started forward. "Can I talk to you?" his voice hesitated as he watched her step out of the bathroom.

Sighing Katrina rolled her eyes. "Make it quick Agent DiNozzo."

"What I said back there, in the squad room, I didn't mean it. It was a joke, a very stupid joke and I'm sorry…I messed up."

"Are we done now?" Kat sneered.

"How long has he been hitting you?" Tony asked ignoring Katrina's previous question.

"I'm goin' back to the squad room now DiNozzo, ok? Goodbye Agent DiNozzo"

"So the black eye, this wasn't the first time I am guessing?" He wasn't going to let her wiggle out of this that easily.

"Oh. My. God. You aren't goin' to give up are you?" Kat hissed through clenched teeth. "It is none of your business. In fact it is no bodies business. Just leave it alone Tony will you?"

"So then you're just gunna keep going back to him and staying with him, allowing him to keep doing this until he kills you?"

People were staring, so Kat pulled Tony off to the side. "He's not goin' to kill me Tony. Neil loves me."

"Oh yeah he really loves you." He took Kat and turned her around so she was facing a mirror. "Look at just how much he loves you."

Kat kept her head down and didn't make eye contact with her and Tony's reflection in the mirror.

"Look!" He growled.

Kat slowly lifted her head and saw her reflection staring back at her. "You don't get it DiNozzo. You wouldn't understand. Neil was just upset and lost control of his anger, he really does love me."

Tony let out a chuckle. "Last time I heard that from a woman, her face ended up being bashed in by the person who _loved her_, it was done with a baseball bat."

"Neil isn't a monster DiNozzo, he just has anger management issues."

"It's only a matter of time until those anger management issues spiral out of control and you end up dead. Gibbs may be willing to sit back and do nothing about it, but I won't be so nice."

"TONY NO!" Katrina raised her voice. "I am going to handle it, that's why Gibbs isn't going to do anything about it. I asked him to allow me to handle it, and I expect, no I demand you do the same. You're -not- my father Tony."

"You're right I'm not your father, because if I were related to you, Neil would long since be dead by now."

"Are we done now? I told Gibbs I'd be back in five minuets, that was almost ten minuets ago."

"Just one more question. This isn't the first time Neil has hit you? Is it?"

Katrina's eyes fixated on the floor. "No, but I am going to handle it tonight, ok. I'm going to tell him he has to get help or we are done. Now can I please go?"

"If he touches so much as a hair on your head ever again, I will kill him." Tony told her.

"Yeah, get in line Gibbs already said the same thing." Katrina said walking away and heading back to the bullpen.

When Kat walked into the bullpen she saw Neil's photo on the plasma. She froze. They were running background checks on her fiancé. Though she shouldn't have been surprised, she would have done the same thing.

"He's a Metro cop?" Gibbs asked.

Katrina nodded in reply. "Yeah, for about five years."

"Does he keep a gun in the house?" Gibbs shot Katrina a worried glance.

"Well yeah, he's a cop agent Gibbs, he has like three guns."

"You have that talk with your fiancé tonight, but you are not sleeping there. You got it." His voice was gruff and there was a serious overtone as he pointed his index finger at her.

"Are you serious?"

Gibbs walked over to Katrina and stood in front of her, he was a few inches taller than her and peered down at the girl. "As a heart attack."

"Ok then where the heck do I go, I mean I live there after all?"

"You can stay at my place then, but you are not sleeping in the same house with him."

She looked over at Blaze who was sleeping along side McGee's desk, he had been there since she came in this morning. "What about Blaze?"

"Bring him with, but am I clear when I say you are not going to sleep there?"

"Crystal clear, Agent Gibbs." This was only getting worse as the day progressed.


	6. Accidents Can Happen

Authors Note: Thanks for the reviews everyone.

**Chapter 6**

Kat pulled her Red 2005 Monte Carlo to a stop outside the address Gibbs had written down for her. To say that her talk with Neil didn't go so well was an understatement. He of course lost his temper, which Katrina knew would happen. Though he had managed to keep from hitting her. Kat was sure it was because he was too drunk to throw a punch. There had to be something said for his love of Jack Daniels. Cutting off the engine she continued to stare at the front of Agent Gibbs' residence, when Blazes tongue licking her face broke her trance. "We should go inside huh boy?" The dog barked and Katrina nodded. "Come before he comes looking for us." Katrina opened the door and got out, then held the door open so Blaze could jump out. She retrieved some items she would need from her trunk and preceded to head towards the back door. _Just come in the back door, no need to knock_ Gibbs' words from earlier echoed in her head.

Pushing open the door Kat walked inside followed behind her was Blaze. He had taken a few moments to sniff the yard, and mark his spot. "AGENT GIBBS!" She called out. "It's me Kat!"

"I'm down here!" His voice came from the open door.

Kat put her duffle bag near the back door and walked over to the open door. She could see light glowing from the stairs and hear the sounds of what appeared to be the news, while the light of the flickering TV cast shadows on the opposite wall. Kat started to descend down the wooden stairs, with Blaze close behind. "Whoa." She pointed to the wooden frame. "You're building a boat?" She took the last few steps until her feet hit the concrete landing.

"Yup and this is actually the fourth boat I built." He took a sip of his bourbon from a coffee. "How did it go?" he stopped what he was doing and looked over at her. "He didn't hit you again did he?"

Her eyes continued to scan the basement taking in all of the surroundings. "No," Kat replied with a headshake. "But he was hella pissed. Tol' 'im he either hadda get help or we were done. I wasn't gunna live like that anymore. He cursed at me, an' then was all 'oh I'm sorry, I'll get help, an' I love you Kat.' Only time will tell if he means it or not." She ran her finger through a pile of accumulating sawdust and a faint smile tugged at her lips. "My dad tried to build a boat once. He never finished, he was-" her eyes met Gibbs. The man nodded his head and Katrina knew she didn't have to continue; he understood.

"Did he have a name for his boat?" Gibbs picked up a tool and started to burrow a hole into the wood.

She ran her fingers down the curved frame. The memories were still fresh in her mind. _So what are you goin' to name the boat dad? He grinned at his daughter. I was thinking of calling her The Katrina Marie. How does that sound? Kat smiled back at her father. I like that, dad… _"The Katrina Marie." Kat could remember helping her dad with the boat many times. They would spend hours in the garage working and talking about all kinds of things: sports, his work, school, boys she liked, her training at the fire academy, current events. There were always topics to talk about.

"I'm guessing your middle name is Marie."

"You're guess would be correct Agent Gibbs," she picked up the handheld sander. Closing her eyes her memory flickered back to when she was 15-years-old, it was right around the time he first started on the boat. _You sand with the grain Princess. Kat could smell the scent of her father's aftershave, as he leaned in close guiding her hand against the wood_. Opening her eyes she looked back down at the sander, there still wasn't a day when she didn't miss her dad. Katrina then realized something. "Wait a second, are you buildin' this boat with nothin' but hand tools?"

"Yup."

"My dad used power tools an' never got close to finishin', yet you've managed to build three an' now are on a fourth one. Did'ja use hand tools for the other three?" Pulling out the wobbly metal stole Kat sat down. She watched Blaze walk in a small circle three time, before laying down along side her.

"I did."

"If my father were here, he would definitely be impressed, an' jealous." She chuckled. "He was almost done, only had a few finishin' touches left, then a few coats of paint, a shiny Captains bell an' The Katrina Marie was ready to sail." Kat brought her eyes down and stared at Blaze. "After he…" Even all these years later Kat could never really bring herself to say the words. "It took a while but my Uncle, his brother, finally picked it up. He finished it, but I haven't seen it. Can't bring myself too. Too many memories that I wasn't nor am I ready; to really face yet."

Gibbs stopped, sipped from his mug and studied the girls face for a moment. "What about your mom?"

"A drunk driver hit her car when I was five, She died four days later." There was a small smile. "So basically my dad raised me, for as long as I could remember it was jus' the two of us. Then on sunny day in September, he was getting' off shift an' a call came in that a plane struck the World Trade Center. He was on the phone with me. We were goin' to meet up for breakfast. Obviously plans changed. He said he'd buy pizza for dinner, an' rent a movie to make up for it. I tol' him I loved 'im, an' that was the last time I ever talked to him."

Gibbs could relate to Katrina, he knew all to well what it was like to lose someone you love, someone who you hold dearly. First it was Shannon and Kelly, then not to long ago he lost Jen. Though he never got to tell Jen how he felt about her. How much he loved her. It didn't matter though, nowhere in the plan of Jennifer Shepard was there room for Leroy Jethro Gibbs. So even if he had confessed his love for her, it wouldn't have been returned. He and Jen could not have worked because she didn't want anything to with him. Gibbs hid the pain though, he hid it deep inside his heart. He was sure that even Ducky, who had known him for years, had no idea how he felt about Jennifer. She had been gone almost a year now, and a part of him felt it was all of his fault. If only he could have made her talk, told him what was going on. Maybe he would have been able to prevent her tragic death and maybe – just maybe there would have been some hope for them. Sure one of his rules was never date a co-worker and he wouldn't have been setting a great example if he broke that, but for Jen he would break the rules. For Jen Leroy Jethro Gibbs would have done anything.

"I don't know your father, but I am sure he'd be very proud of you." Gibbs knew full well if Katrina was his daughter he would have been proud, and as much as he tried to deny it, he couldn't fight the feeling that Kat reminded him a little of Kelly. Maybe it was the closeness of age, or the attitude. It was something though.

"I hope so. I question myself a lot an' wonder if he was still here would he have been ok with all that I have done."

Gibbs raised an eyebrow, "how did you get into arson investigation?"

"I've always been interested in how fires started, what caused 'em. What made the orange monster do what she does best, an' things eventually fell into place. Took some classes at John Jay college in New York, worked a few cases. Then I heard the Virginia State Arson Task Force was hirin'. The pay was pretty sweet, so I sent in my resume, an' the rest just went from there. Hadda go to the Virginia State Police Academy so I could get full arrestin' powers an' what not. Never thought I'd be kickin' it wit' donut hounds."

"Donut hounds?" Gibbs was obviously confused.

"Back at FDNY the cops called us bucket fairies an' we called 'em donut hounds."

"Well if you were my daughter I would be proud, even if it meant you working with some donut hounds." Gibbs quoted Katrina, shaking his head he chuckled. His look turned serious. "Your fiancé would also be dead by now, if you were my daughter."

"Now you sound like DiNozzo."

A small smile crossed his lips. "I taught him well." Gibbs spoke like a proud father.

"Is DiNozzo always so – I don't know charmin'? I mean he seems like a good guy and is probably one hell of an agent, no doubt. But he comes off as an egotistical jerk who is over compensatin' for – well somethin', lets just leave it at that." Kat smiled a bit looking over to the TV that was showing footage of the war in Iraq on ZNN. Though there was something about DiNozzo that Kat was curious about. He seemed like he was really good at his job, but for some reason he tried his best not to let it show. Like a 12-year-old boy acting out in class.

"I have said it before. You may not admire his style, but you gotta love the results." Gibbs took one last sip of the reddish liquid in his mug. "I fixed the bed up for you, clean sheets and everything-"

Kat cut Gibbs off. "I can sleep on the couch Agent Gibbs. I mean you were kind enough to allow me to crash at Casa De Gibbs I'm not goin' to steal your bed from you."

"You aren't stealing my bed and it isn't a big deal, I usually sleep on the couch anyways. The bed is yours. I even made a spot for old Blaze."

Kat couldn't help but to smile at that. Sliding off the stool she shook her head. "DiNozzo lied to me, he said the extra B stood for bastard."

**NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS**

His alarm went off at 5:00a.m and Gibbs was showered, dressed, and ready to head to the Navy Yard by 6:15. He woke Katrina before he left, telling her he would meet her there.

Kat took a quick shower, got dressed, put on her makeup and was ready to go. "C'mon Blaze it's time to go!" She could hear the jingling of the dogs collar as he ran through the house and was at her side in seconds. Blaze of course was eager as always to get to work. Katrina bent down and kissed the top of the blond colored dogs head. "I take it you're ready." He barked once and bolted towards the door. "Well you little over achiever lets go then wouldn't want to keep your fan waitin' now would we?" The plan was to meet Ziva at a small diner for a quick breakfast and head into to NCIS together. Katrina was actually pretty excited for the breakfast. From the few short moments she had talked to Ziva, without DiNozzo pitching in his two cents, Katrina could tell Ziva was pretty cool and they would definitely get along.

And Katrina was right; she at Ziva would get along great. There was also the fact both of them had lost someone they loved to terrorism and right away both Katrina and Ziva felt a bond. Kat loved some Ziva's stories about Mossad. They were a heck of a lot more interesting then any of the over heard stories at the firehouse she was use to be now. Stories that had been told so many times, Kat could recite them from memory.

Ziva was following behind Kat's red car on the way to NCIS, when they came to a stop at a red light. It didn't last long and the light quickly turned green, she watched as Kat proceeded through the intersection and from that point everything happened in slow motion. Ziva screamed for Kat to look out, but it was too late. Ziva watched in horror as an old, heavy pick up truck plowed into Kats car, the driver's side, sending it sliding through the intersection into another car. Then when Ziva didn't think she could be anymore shocked she watched the driver of the pick up speed away, but not before she got a good look at his face, and his the license plate on his truck. Ziva was quickly out of her car and at Katrina's car. The dog was barking loudly while pawing at his unconscious owner, in a desperate attempt to get her attention. "Kat…" _No, no. This is not good._ Zvia thought herself. Reaching through the shattered drivers side window, as smoke from the deployed air bag billowed out, she felt for a pulse. Ziva felt a huge relief off her shoulders when she could feel one. It was strong too. Pulling out her cell phone she dialed 9-1-1 and reported the accident. "Come on Kat wake up. Come on." Ziva was afraid to move the girl from the car because of a possible spinal injury, for now she took off her sweatshirt and used to too help stop the bleeding from a head wound. "Kat it is ok. You are going to be ok." Ziva remember hearing that talking to people who were unconscious actually helped them. She wasn't sure if it was true or not, but it was better than nothing.


	7. All is Fair In Love And War

**Chapter 7**

Neil checked the time on his watch, and stayed hidden. If Kat was going to leave him, she was going to do it in a pine box. Neil just hoped that the foolish Marine he had hired, got the job done. The Marine had been back in the states for a few months now and was hard up for cash. So when Neil approached him about doing a job for him, he jumped at the chance. For him it was an easy $5000.00, he'd be able to catch up on rent, and put food on his table. For Neil, coming for a well-to-do family, $5000.00 was pocket change. To him, the Marine agreeing to only do 'the job' for that price was a steal. Seeing the familiar figure of the Marine coming towards him, Neil stepped out of the shadows.

The Marine was timed, "I did it sir, I hit the car. I ditched the pickup where you told me too." His heart was racing, he knew how much trouble he could be in if he got caught, but he was desperate for the cash.

Neil nodded his head, "well least one good thing will come out of this day. It's too bad for you that today won't be as good of a day for you." Without another word, he pulled out a gun with a silencer attached. Pulling the trigger he watched the Marine drop to the ground. A single gunshot wound to the head was all it took. This was exactly why he picked such a private area, no witnesses. Last thing Neil needed was the public seeing cop committing a crime. Now he had to dispose of the body, and he was going to do it just like the others. Though just like the others Neil was going to need help for that. Neil wasn't an expert on fire, but he knew someone who was. Too bad Katrina had no idea that her very own captain was partly responsible for the past fires. Neil killed them, and Captain Wellington burned the bodies. Neil needed someone who knew fire and how to set them without messing it up. Neil could remember Kat saying something about firefighters being the best fire starters. She was definitely right about that one.

After dragging the Marine's lifeless body into his SUV, Neil covered it up to make it look like he was hauling trash, which he might as well be. To Neil, someone who could commit murder for $5000.00 was as useless as trash. He looked down at his pants and sighed, he really hadn't planned on getting dirty today. Obviously he was going to have to swing home and take a shower before paying a visit to Captain Wellington.

**NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS**

The lights blurred in with each other, as Katrina lay strapped to a gurney while medics pushed her through the bright and narrow hallway of the Emergency Room. "MY DOG!" Katrina. "Is Blaze ok?" She saw Ziva's head above her.

"Blaze is in my car. He is ok." Ziva reassured Katrina, giving her hand a squeeze.

She pulled the oxygen mask off of her face. "His vet, the card is in my wallet. Can you take him there just to be safe? Please?" Tears rolled down her cheeks as Ziva placed the mask back over Katrina's face.

"I will take him when Gibbs' gets here. He is on his way." Ziva spoke softly to her. "Just try to relax Kat, ok?"

Katrina sighed to herself. Ziva called Gibbs, and Kat was sure everyone else would follow. She didn't want to attract anymore attention then she already had.

The doctor put his hand out. "Miss, you can't go any further. You'll have to wait here."

Ziva nodded and watched as the gurney that Kat was on disappeared behind two large steel doors, with TRAUMA written across it. She knew Kat was scared and Ziva couldn't blame the girl. From what the rescue squad had said, Kat was very lucky. Had she not been wearing her seat belt, she wouldn't made it out alive.

"Ziva!"

Turning around to the sound of her name, Ziva saw Gibbs approaching with both Tony and McGee on his flank. "How is she?" She could see the look of worry across the older mans face, but mixed in that look was anger and outrage.

"She's awake, but in obvious pain. The medics said that her arm is broken and that she might have a head injury. They were not sure. They just took Kat into there," she pointed back towards the trauma room." They did tell me that if Kat had not been wearing her seatbelt, she would be dead. Katrina asked that I take Blaze to the vet to make sure that he is ok as well. He is in my car right now. May I go and do that?"

"In a moment yeah. What happened?" Gibbs asked Ziva.

"Katrina was starting through the intersection, the light had turned green. Then this pickup truck, it came charging through and plowed into her. He then took off. But I did get a look at him and I did get his plate Gibbs." It wasn't until now that Ziva realized how upset she was, but she was Mossad, she couldn't show show any emotion. "He had Maryland plates; GR5 72S4." She rambled off the plate, still struggling to keep herself together.

Tony could see the distraught look in Ziva's eyes. He knew that she was upset, and that she was fighting to keep herself from losing it.

"Is Kat going to be ok?" McGee finally quipped.

"I think so, yes." Ziva turned to him. "She is more worried about her dog than she is about herself. But she was…" Ziva was trying to think. "What is it when someone is…OH! Liquid! Yes Kat was Liquid."

Tony cracked a small smile. "Lucid Zee-Vah," he corrected her.

"About her dog Gibbs, may I-" Getting a nod from Gibbs Ziva turned and headed down the hallway towards the parking lot. Tony wasn't far behind. She felt his hand on her arm.

"Are you ok?" his voice was filled with worry and concern for her.

"I am a lot better than Katrina is. Tony it was horrible. That truck was so big, and the crash was so loud. He did not even try to stop. It was almost as if he wanted to hit Kat. Like he was just waiting for Kat to come by just so he could hit her. Then when I got to her car and she did not respond to her name. I was scared, I thought she was dead Tony."

"But she's not, it's ok Zi. Kat's going to be ok." He held her hand for a second. "Kat is a pretty strong girl, I mean teach her some of your ninja skills and she'll be a deadly weapon." He was hoping to put Ziva's mind at ease, and allow her to relax a little.

Ziva looked into Tony's eyes and she could feel a sense of relief. "Here," she pulled out her wallet and handed Tony some money. "Get something for Kat in the gift shop, tell her it is from me…oh and Blaze. She would like that, yes?"

Tony took the cash from Ziva and nodded. "She would. Any idea of what you would like me to get her?" He watched as Ziva thought for a moment.

"One of those stuffed animals, yeah a bear or something." She squeezed Tony's hand as he nodded. "I better go and take Blaze to the vet."

**NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS**

It was about an hour or so later when Kat was finally able to have visitors, and she wasn't surprised when she saw Gibbs walk in, following behind him were DiNozzo and McGee. "Blaze!" She quickly sat up and wished she hadn't.

"Hey, easy!" Gibbs said. "Relax. Ziva took him to the vet like you asked." He had damn good investigative skills and knew Katrina was in pain. "For now you need to relax and get some rest."

"Someone needs to call Neil," she heard a snort coming from Tony and ignored it. "He needs to know I'm here." Kat shot Tony a look. "Can someone please call him, his number is in my cell."

Gibbs was almost certain that if Tony did it, the results wouldn't be pretty. "I can do it, but you need your rest. Doctor said you had some cracked ribs and a pretty nasty concussion. They wanna keep you over night." The reaction in Kat's face told Gibbs that the doctors probably were not going to get their wishes and would have to fight with Kat.

"Over my dead body." Kat growled. "No way, I'm signin' myself out of this damn place. I refuse to stay here. Once I know my dog is ok, an' Ziva has him back here I'm signin' out, even if it has to be AMA."

"I'll talk to the doctor." It was better to agree with her at this point than disagree. He was pretty sure even if he told Kat she had to stay she would only sign herself out. Gibbs also figured that she might be able to relax and rest better in a more comfortable surrounding. "I'll go call Neil." He took the cell phone from Kat.

"Don' yell at 'im Agent Gibbs. I wanna, I need to work out his issues myself an' I don' need no one makin' it worse. Please." Her green eyes pleaded with him. "Jus' tell 'im I'm here, I'm ok, nothin' more, nothin' less."

"Nothing more, nothing less." Gibbs smiled at her taking Katrina's BlackBerry. He scrolled through her contacts until he saw Neil's name and hit send.

Tony watched as Gibbs' exited the room. "So uh well," he held up a stuffed Dalmatian, the dog had a plastic balloon in its mouth which had GET WELL written across it. "This is from Ziva and Blaze, but I already took the liberty of naming him." He caught a glance from Katrina and she didn't seem amused.

"Let me guess, Sparky?"

"Ha, no. McGee." Tony smiled at McGee only to get a less than happy look from him. "Aw come Probie you don't like the name?"

"That's not funny Tony."

"Yeah, Tony really. He's you co-worker." Katrina replied taking the toy from Tony. "He is cute though, both McGee's." She winked at him and smiled. Katrina was pleased to see Tim smiled back at her. "Don't let Tony get to you, he's over compensating" She told McGee to come closer. "It's for what he lacks in his pants." McGee laughed a bit.

"I heard that you two and for your information, when measuring it, I need a yardstick; thank you very much. You may be all about wrangling the McGoo's hose, but you couldn't handle the big D!" Tony said beaming with confidence. "Not that I would let you, 'cause the T man is in love."

"What's her name this time Tony?" Tim asked.

"Her name, McGee, is mind you own business." Tony retorted tossing a peanut, from the small bag he had bought in the gift shop, at McGee's head. "What happens in the DiNozzo bedroom, stays in the DiNozzo bedroom."

When Gibbs returned to the room he handed Katrina her cell. "I called him, and he is on his way over. He seemed real worried. Wanted to know if you were ok, asked about your dog, and wanted to know if you needed something." He got a smile from Katrina. "I called him for you, doesn't mean I like him, 'cause I don't. He stopped being a man as soon as he laid a hand on you. He's a boy, a weak and cowardly little boy." Gibbs sat down in a chair.

"You're not gunna sit here while he's here are you Agent Gibbs?"

He saw the questionable look in the young girls eyes. "I am, because my gut tells me too."

"His gut never lies." There was a look of satisfaction in Tony's eyes.

"Don' get no ideas DiNozzo, I may allow Gibbs' to stay, I may not like it, but I'm not dumb enough to fight it. You, however, are leavin' this room. I don' need your attitude towards 'im makin' things worse."

"What? Me? I just want to introduce myself to him, that's all. I just want dear old Neil to know who I am." The look from Kat made him back off. "Ok I won't stay in the room. Besides I have better things to do anyways. Like get some fires or pizza or something. I am starving."

Twenty minuets had passed and Neil hurried into Katrina's room. "Are you ok?" He kissed the top of her head, and held her hand. "Thank you Agent Gibbs for calling."

"No problem." He watched the man with Katrina and everything in his body told him he was bad news, it was hard for him not to show this punk what happens when you hit women. But Gibbs had made a promise to Katrina, and he planned on keeping it. Now if Gibbs were to accidently follow him home, and Neil was have his nose accidently broken, then that would be ok. It would all be an accident.

"I'm fine Neil. Just some cracked ribs, broken arm, an' three stitches. Doc is gunna let me go home in a few hours. He's not happy, but he doesn't have a choice. But I'm ok." He kissed her forehead once more.

"I love you, I love you so much." He could hear a low growl coming from Tony.

"DINOZZO!" Gibbs shouted. "I thought you were leaving?" He watched as Tony pushed himself off the wall and exited the room. Gibbs could see Tony wasn't happy about it either.

"I'm gunna get help, I'm sorry I hurt you. I love you so much and I don't want to lose you pumpkin." He rested his forehead on her shoulder. "I love you so much."

Gibbs was finding it harder and harder to keep that promise, as his gut was telling him more and more that this guy was nothing but bad news.

"I gotta go to work though, you want me to come back and get you when they release you?" Neil asked watching Katrina shake her head no. "I don't mind, really I don't."

"No it's ok Neil, I'm ok, I'll be fine. I can get a ride." She looked into his eyes. "Ok?"

"Will you be coming home tonight?"

Kat's eyes scanned over to Gibbs. Shaking his head Katrina shook hers. "No, I can't not just yet. You understand right? But soon babe, I promise. I'll be home soon." Katrina kissed his forehead and she had no idea she was kissing the monster who was responsible for her being here. "I love you an' I'll call you later." She heard his disappointed sigh and felt his lips on hers.

"I love you and if you need anything, anything at all you call me." He had to play the devoted fiancé. He had to make those fed believe he loved her, and he cared about her. He could let them on to him and his game. No, that would ruin everything, and what fun would that be?

"I will babe, love you too." Watching him go she waited to the door closed. "I can't stay at your house forever Agent Gibbs."

"No, but I still don't trust him. When he's actually getting help then you can go home, until then, while he has guns in the house, you're staying at my place."

"That's gunna get old real fast Agent G." She swung her feet off the bed. "I gotta use the bathroom, alone." She knew he was going to want to help. "I can handle it, I'm not crippled Agent Gibbs." She took slow and cautious steps, across her room and out the door, stopping in the doorway she turned towards Gibbs. "Don' follow me." She instructed Gibbs. "Please." Closing the door behind her, she started the slow walk towards the bathroom she was just about to round the corner when she saw Tony with Neil. _Oh this can't be good._ Staying out of sight, she listened.

"If you ever, so much as harm a hair on her head, trust me when I say I will make you wish I didn't. This isn't a joke, I happen to know a very good, no make that great Forensic scientist, who could make your untimely death look like an accident. I also know the best computer geek ever, who can make it look as if you never existed. No one will know. You're lucky that you have a girl like her. Ones like her, they don't come around very often. Kat, she's a good kid, and she's damn good at what she does. You got yourself a great catch Officer Vahonic, and she doesn't deserve to be treated like that. She isn't your personal punching bag."

Kat could hear Neil smirk, looking around the corner she watched as Tony pushed him back into the wall; hard. "Do you understand me Officer Vahonic? See my girl friend, well it appears she really cares about Katrina, and my guess is they are friends." Tony laughed. "She's a ninja, trained by Mossad, she can kill you with a paperclip and I know she won't have any problems doing it." _Ziva is Tony's girlfriend?_ Tony patted Neil on the shoulder. "Oh and have a great day Officer Vahonic."

When Katrina knew Neil was gone, she started back towards the bathroom. "Oh Tony, hey!" She tried to play it cool.

"Where are you off to? Running away from Gibbs won't work, he'll find you."

"I'm jus' usin' the restroom DiNozzo, not runnin' from no one." She sighed as DiNozzo took her arm, helping her to the bathroom, after what she had just heard him say Kat didn't have the heart to tell him no. Katrina nodded towards the elderly man with a walker. "lets see if he wants to race." She smirked.

Tony laughed a bit. "I think Special Agent Gibbs wouldn't approve of that, besides that old man looks like he could seriously kick our asses if he lost, he's harvesting some major road rage, or in his case it would be walker rage." He guided her to the bathroom. "In any case, I say you just take it easy for now."

Kat stopped in front of the door that was marked women's and rolled her eyes at Tony. "Oh yeah because this walk to the bathroom, all 50 feet of it, was so hard."

"I'll wait here."

Katrina wasn't surprised to see Tony still waiting for her when she came out of the bathroom and she was even less surprised when he offered his arm to her; again. "So this girl friend, she must be pretty special if you don't mention her name." She could see Tony's eyes light up and his face brighten it was actually rather sweet. "Wow DiNozzo, you have it bad. That's good though, I'm happy for you. Does this special lady know about how The Big D feels about her?"

"No, only because the Big D is really intimidated by her. I mean she is smoking hot, and amazing, but she sorta scares me. She has these crazy ninja skills…" he was still glowing. "I am not sure though, that she feels the same way about me." He stopped outside of her room.

"You really should tell her DiNozzo, life is way too short not too."

Tony just nodded in reply as he thought about what Kat had told him. "Hey boss, look what I found in the hallways." He walked through the room and helped Katrina to her bed.

"The strays always follow me-" she stopped. "BLAZE!" Katrina smiled widely seeing the pooch on her bed. "He's ok?" She turned to Ziva then petted her dog

She watched as the dog wagged his tail and kissed Katrina. "His vet said that Blaze is just fine." Ziva reassured Katrina who still looked very worried about her four-legged friend. "I see Tony gave you your gift and McGee told me what Tony named him."

Kat slowly slid into her bed. "Yeah thanks Ziva." He patted Blazes' head. "You to buddy."

"Oh and Gibbs Abby called me at least a dozen times, asking about Katrina."

"She's called me too Boss." McGee piped up. "Maybe you should call her?"

Katrina had her cell phone out and held it out in front of her to take a picture of herself. She made sure to display the peace sign. Once the flash went off she quickly started typing. 'I'M OK DON'T WORRY. C U LATA' She hit send. "Ok Abby should know now." She smiled back at McGee.

"Or Katrina can just tell Abby herself." McGee srugged.

"Whatever works." Gibbs replied. It wasn't long before he heard Katrina's cell phone going off and could see her smiling a bit and again quickly typing.

'I AM STAYING GIBBS' Y?' Katrina hit send, and in a few moments had another reply, she lifted her head. "Abby wants to know if she can spend the night your house?"

"Why?" Gibbs asked confusion written.

"I don't know. She didn't say."

"Fine whatever." Gibbs growled. He knew Abby wouldn't give up until he said yes anyways, this way it was easier. Again he heard Katrina's cell phone going off. "Whatever happened to using the phone to talk? That's why it was invented." Gibbs shook his head sipping his coffee.

Katrina just shrugged and was typing away again.

**NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS**

Neil walked into Captain Wellington's office. "I have another job for you. Actually I have two. Need your help cleaning up a mess, same price as always. I am willing to triple that price if you help me out with something else."

Captain Wellington shook his head. "Your girl ain't stupid Jason, she's gunna catch on. She's gunna find out your real name isn't Neil Vahonic and that's it Jason Blackwell and she's gunna pin you for them fires. She's good at her job. You gunna get caught. How the force hasn't found out your real identity by now I'll never know."

"Nope 'cause you're gunna kill her, you'll have to make it look like an accident." He could tell by the expression on the fat short mans face he was shocked.

"I'm gunna what? No way! I'm not gunna do anything like that. Bad enough I've done what I have done for you Jason." He protested. His eyes followed Neil watching him pick up a framed photograph off of his desk.

"It would be a shame if something happened to your granddaughter, her name is Caylee right?" He put the picture down. "She goes to that grade school on Elm?"

"FINE!" He threw his hands up. "Quadruple the price and we have a deal. It may take a while though, I mean stuff like this, it just can't happen right away. I have to plan it out, it's going to have to be big." He couldn't believe he was going to do this.

Neil wrote an address down and handed it to him. "There is a pickup there, burn it and burn the body in it."

Captain Wellington looked at him. "Did you cause the accident?" Word of Katrina's accident had already spread through the firehouse.

"If the bitch wants to leave me, she's gunna leave me, but it will be in a pine box. Call me when the first job is done, and if you do a good enough job," he slid him another piece of paper with a large sum of money on it. "Then that's what I will give you for offin' the bitch. I want that job done right and I want it too look good. If other people have to die then so be it, trust me when I say I will make it worth your while." He watched the man look at the paper and his eyes widen at the sum. "Think about it." With that he exited the room.


	8. 48 Hours Later

Authors Note: Thanks for reading so far, hope you are enjoying it. I'm sure there will be errors I missed in this chapter. With finals coming up, I'm kinda spacing out. No idea when I will be posting the next chapter, hopefully soon so I can get to the TIva Passover chapter, and another McAbby chapter.

Katrina was less than happy when Gibbs made her take 48 hours off of work, it made her even less happy that during those 48 hours another body matching the same M.O was found in a burned out pickup. Upon further investigation by NCIS it was discovered that it had been the pickup that had hit Katrina. She had tried to fight Gibbs on letting her work, but she quickly learned that she wasn't going to win.

She was thankful when the 48 hours, of what had dubbed solitary confinement, was up and she could get back to figuring out who was doing this, and why suddenly it seemed that they were targeting her. As soon as she stepped off the elevator, Kat walked through the bullpen, and was stopped by Gibbs who handed her a gun. "Uhm, what is this? I mean I know what it –_is_- but I don't understand why you are givin' it to me Agent Gibbs?"

"Your file says you're permitted to carry a gun, right?" He saw Katrina nod her head. "Then that is what it's for."

"I have my own gun Gibbs." She handed him the gun back. "Thanks."

"I want you to carry it then."

"Not goin' to happen. I don' carry my gun 'cause it makes it hard to question people. Right away they think you're a cop an' they don' wanna talk to you. Firemen are friends are Agent Gibbs not gun slingin' dounut hounds."

"Better having problems interrogating someone, then being dead." Tony spoke and looked over at them. "The accident wasn't an accident Kat." He stood up and brought the images up on the plasma. "We were able to get a video footage of the accident from an ATM, it was obvious that this was intentional. Until we know who is responsible for this, I'm going to have to go with Agent Gibbs and say; carry the gun."

Kat felt her stomach turn at the sight of the photos, and then felt like she was going to throw up when Tony played the video. She felt a tear roll down her cheek and quickly dried it away. Kat knew the accident was bad, but until now she had no idea just how bad it was.

"Where do you keep your gun?" Tony asked.

"Right now it's in a locked box at Gibbs'." Kat replied her eyes fixated intently on the plasma.

McGee noticed the look on her face and gave Ziva a worried look. He had seen video footage of the accident a few times already and it still made him sick, he couldn't imagine what was going through Katrina's mind. Watching the video was up there with watching the video of Tony's car being blown up.

"For today, I want you to carry this one, tomorrow you'll bring your own, and you'll carry it with you when you are not at NCIS." Gibbs told her, he wasn't going to argue about it. "Or you won't work."

"The pickup?" Kat asked taking the gun with a reluctant sigh from Gibbs and holstering it at her side. "Where is it?"

"Downstairs, in the garage." Tony replied, he was watching her closely, wondering if maybe she wasn't ready to come back to work.

"I want to see it an' the body, does Ducky still have the body?" Her eyes flicked over to Gibbs, and Tony took this time to remove both the photos and video from the plasma.

"He still has the body, he was a Marine, Sergeant Russell Doherty." Gibbs could see the look of sadness in Katrina's eyes.

"He's dead 'cause of me. He's dead 'cause someone wants me dead, an' he had to pay the price for it." This was all her fault. "I need to see the truck…"

"Don't. I know where you are going with this Anderson, and don't. His death isn't your fault." Gibbs voice was firm, his eye however, were soft.

"Could have fooled me." She replied heading to the elevator.

"Go with her DiNozzo." Gibbs instructed.

"I'm a big girl Agent Gibbs, I can look at evidence by myself."

"This isn't negotiable Katrina." He growled back sitting down at his desk. He watched the girl stop in front of the elevator, crossing her arms over her chest while waiting for Tony.

"Jus' 'cause Gibbs says you gotta come with me doesn't mean I gotta listen to you. I'm the arson expert." She dryly told Tony as the doors opened and she stepped inside.

"I wouldn't dream of it." Tony waited for the doors to close and stopped the elevator. He watched Kat slam her fingers against the button that set the elevator in motion once again. She was a pain in the ass. Once again he stopped the elevator. "Get yourself together before we get down there. Sergeant Doherty's death wasn't your fault, don't blame yourself."

Her eyes were ice cold as she looked at him. "I'm fine DiNozzo, jus' pissed. My life is bein' turned upside down right now. I can't go home, someone tried to kill me, I gotta carry a gun, so I'm a little pissed." She was about to hit the same button Tony hit seconds ago, when his hand blocked it. "Move your hand, DiNozzo. I have a gun now and I'm ain't afraid to use it." She lifted the arm she had a bright pink cast on. Abby had added her own touch by painting black skulls on it. "I can also beat you with this."

"It's ok to be scared." Tony's voice was soft. "There is nothing wrong with it and the reason you can't go home is because of Neil. He's an asshole."

"You think I'm scared? I useta run into burnin' buildings while the rats were runnin' out. I've had rooms flashover on me, I've been in fires reaching temperatures of 600 degrees plus! I'm not scared." Kat was only lying to herself. She was beyond scared and his continuous glare waiting for her to admit she was scared wasn't helping.

"My Super Special Agent sleuthing skills tell me otherwise."

"Can I go see the truck, please?" She hissed through clenched teeth.

Realizing he wasn't going to win Tony allowed the elevator to continue down.

"Thank you." She leaned against the wall of the elevator. "Even if I was scared think I'd admit it to you? I've seen how you torment McGee about the slightest things, I'm not going to be one of your targets."

"I wouldn't make fun of you for being scared."

Katrina shot Tony a glance. "Like hell you wouldn't DiNozzo, Abby tol' me what you did to McGee when he was attacked by the dog."

"Aw, come that was different and funny." Tony retorted as the doors opened and they stepped out. "Your situation is a lot different that McGee's

"No it wasn't, using a persons' fears as a reason to tease them isn't funny Tony." She could smell the scent of the burned out pickup as soon as she walked off the elevator. Reaching into the pocket of her black cargo pants and pulled out a pair of gloves, snapping them on.

"Too good for our gloves Sparky?"

"I'm allergic to latex, these Nitrile, if I put on the latex gloves my hands get all itchy and blotchy. I mean I won't like stop breathing or anything serious like that, but I would rather not have itchy red hands all day."

"Gotcha!" He watched Kat take out her BlackBerry and start snapping pictures. "You know there are like two gigs of photos upstairs, you don't have to take your own."

"I'll need those too, and I want to take my own, it helps." She stepped closer to the burned out car and looked inside. "Wow, who ever set this fire didn't use diesel this time."

"Yeah Abby hasn't been able to trace the accelerant."

"HTA." She could see the highly confused look on Tony's face. "High Temperature Accelerants. Put some gloves on DiNozzo." Tony walked over to the box of gloves, pulling out a set she waited for him to pull them on, then tossed his a piece of burned steel. "That's steel." She watched him catch it. "It takes a –REALLY- hot fire for steel to bend and melt like that." She snapped some photos of the inside of the pickup. "The body," Kat turned to Tony. "Was he dead before the fire?"

"Yeah, shot, just like the last one. Abby managed to match the bullet too the last victim, and the one before that. She also managed to narrow down a manufacture. The bullet is only sold in five states. New York, Florida, Montana, Tennessee, and Kentucky."

"Well that narrows it down, a little more from like a gzaillion to maybe a billion." She quipped. "When I catch this bastard he's gunna freaking fry, he will be lucky if I don't kill him."

"How do you know it's a he?"

"The fact that most arsonists are male, very rarely are they female. Plus it fits the pattern of a male arsonist. Ten to one, he had issues as a kid: possibly molested, abused animals, and might have even killed them. He's obviously sick in the head, and is only setting the fires to cover up his pervious crime." She leaned into the car to reach for something, but stopped and winced in pain. "SONOFA-"

"You ok?" There was obvious worry in Tony's voice.

"Yeah jus' tend to forget 'bout my ribs. That's all." She held her side. "I'm fine, you can call off the cavalry DiNozzo."

He gave Kat a questionable look. "You sure you are ready to be back on duty?"

"Tony, stop it. I'm ok, an' I wasn't 'bout to spend another day all cooped up at Gibbs'. Do you know what that was like? It was hell, saw dust scented hell. I couldn't take another day of it. He has one TV, with one channel, no internet, it was like the dark ages. I was so bored. If I didn't come back I was going to start eating my own hand." Katrina retorted. "I've got a question for you, you don' have to answer it, but being locked up for two days gave me a lot of time to think."

"I have nothing to hide, so ask away."

"Why are you scared to tell Ziva how you feel?"

He felt like a deer caught in the headlights, "uh…how did you know?"

"The other day at the hospital. I heard what you said to Neil."

He still had the same glazed over look. "How much did you hear?"

"How Neil is lucky to have me, how you will kill him, an' then you said your girl friend was Mossad, an'…"

"Gibbs cannot know, if he knows-"

Kat saw the panic look in Tony's eyes. "I know 'bout Rule #12 an' I won't say a word, but like I tol' you back at the hospital, you should tell her. Ziva is awesome-"

"That's the problem. Ziva is awesome and could have anyone she wants, why…"

"-Wow! Are you sayin' that the Big D has self-doubts. You?"

"When it comes to Ziva yes. I kinda, I was in a relationship not to long ago and things got really complicated, I messed up big time, and broke her heart; I don't want to make the same mistake with Ziva."

"I think you're making a bigger mistake by not tellin' her Tony. Not to be rude or anythin' but is it just sex?"

Tony chuckled. "No, it's more than that. A lot more. I mean don't get me wrong the sex is great and all, but that's not all there is."

Katrina made a face and put her hands up. "Oh, gross, stop ok, no more." She shivered. "You really need to tell her, Tony. Ziva needs to know how you feel, she needs to know the truth, that it's more than sex."

"I want to do something, something real special to show her what she means to me, I don't know what to do."

"Passover is this week." Katrina suggested and noticed his confused look. "Ziva's Jewish, Passover is an important holiday, make her a Passover dinner."

"Oh yeah, and how do I do that? Is there a Passover for dummies?"

Katrina chuckled, "no there isn't but – " she grinned. "My aunt is Jewish, I've attended my fair share of Seder dinners, I could help you."

"You help me? You'd be willing to do that?" He noticed the amused smirk on her face. "How much will it cost me?" He eyed her wearily.

"Believe it or not, I am goin' to do this out of the kindness of my heart." She grinned. "Ziva's cool, an' she should know that it's more than just a roll in the hay. Besides I kinda think she really like you. When we had breakfast I mentioned you, an' she got all…she glows when someone mentions your name."

"Oh so you talk about me huh?"

"Shut up Tony or I will undo my Passover dinner." She watched him smirk. "We'll do it Thursday, that way I can talk to my aunt, and get the stuff I'll need. All you have to do is invite Ziva over and stop smiling like that, it's creepy."

He nervously toyed with his hair. "Thanks, I really mean that Kat." His face grew serious. "Just so you know, that whoever is after you, Gibbs' will find them and when he does, they're going to be awfully sorry. Abby once had stalker, and Gibbs-"

"I get it Tony, I get it ok." She walked over to the elevator. "You coming with or are you just going to stay down here all day. I want to look at the pictures you took."

When both Tony and Katrina got upstairs, Gibbs handed her a letter. She gazed at it. "Seems official, rather important." She opened the envelope, and pulled out the letter. As soon as she opened it, she gasped. Her eyes focused on the writing. It was written in blood. _You got lucky in that accident, next time you won't be so lucky. You can run, but you can't hide._ Included in the letter was a picture of her in front of Gibbs' house. "Ok, now I'm scared." Her fear filled eyes went from the letter to Gibbs as she handed him the letter, "he's gunna kill me Agent Gibbs."


	9. Night Watchmen

Authors Note: Sorry it took so long for this chapter. My next chapter will have tons of Tiva love, but I want it to be good and cute and full of Tivaness. So it might take a while, plus finals are in a week, which will make it take longer. Thanks to the few who have taken the time to review this story. I love you guys. Thanks!

_**Chapter 9**_

Sitting in a chair with her knees pulled up to her chest, and the arm with the cast wrapped around them; Katrina stared out the window while petting Blaze's head. Hearing footsteps across the creaky wood floor, she didn't even both to turn around. It was just dark enough in the room where Kat could make Gibbs' reflection out in the window. He wore a Marines shirt, over an old grey long sleeve tee shirt, and a pair of blue flannel bottoms. She was even less surprised when she heard him speak.

"You should get some sleep Kat." Gibbs watched the girl continue to stare out the window and shake her head in response. "No one is coming in the house." He could see the familiar car outside of his house. He knew that DiNozzo and Ziva were inside; McGee was watching the inside of the house. Gibbs and McGee exchanged a quick glance.

"The boss is right Kat, it's late, you're tired. Get some sleep. No one is going to get inside this place, I promise you. They'll be dead before they even get to the sidewalk."

"That's real comfortin' McGee." Kat finally spoke up. "I'm not tired, when I'm tired I'll go to sleep, until then I am goin' to sit here. You two however, are more than welcomed to get some sleep. No need to stay up all night on account of me." She didn't take her eyes off the Dodge Charge that sat across the street. "It's hard being sleepy when someone out there wants to kill you. It doesn't exactly make sugar plums dance in my head." She could see Gibbs closing in on her through his reflection, then as he got closer Kat could smell his sawdust-covered clothes, then she felt his hands on his shoulders. Kat tensed up for a few seconds, but quickly relaxed.

"No one is going to kill you."

Katrina knew Gibbs meant for his words to be comforting, but right now she couldn't find anything comforting about them. Her mind was screaming and telling her that he was wrong, that it was only a matter of time before whoever sent that letter found her and killed her. "Why? Why did they choose me? I'm jus' tryin' to do my job. That's all."

"That's exactly why the chose you. You're doing your job and you're good at it. Whoever is doing this is scared of you and they want to make you just as scared of them." Gibbs lightly squeezed her shoulder, "now get some sleep. If we want to track this guy down we gotta get to NCIS early tomorrow."

Katrina stood to her feet, "yeah I guess you're right. C'mon Blaze, lets hit the hay." She watched her dog walk over to McGee and put his paws up on the agent's knees. "He's saying goodnight," Kat blushed with embarrassment. "I sometimes think I have a four-legged toddler rather than a dog. But this toddler is well behaved and is house broken." She watched as the dog got a few pets from McGee, licked McGee's face and then trotted over to Gibbs. "It's your turn now Agent Gibbs." Kat smiled a bit, watching as Gibbs bent down and patted the dog's head. Blaze wagged his tail, and licked his face.

"You be sure to watch her boy, ok?" Gibbs spoke to the dog still petting him. He laughed a bit as the dog barked in reply. The dog returned to Kat's side. "I mean it, get some sleep." Gibbs voice was firm but caring.

"Sleep good Kat." McGee chimed, "I'll see you when you wake up." He looked at his watch, it was almost 11:30p.m, but McGee was sure after the day Kat had he was sure that she had to be exhausted.

"Thanks McGee." She headed down the hallways, and closed the door to the bedroom.

Once he heard the door close he turned to Gibbs. "She's a wreck, barely holding on."

Gibbs just stared out the window, "if you want to get some sleep McGee, go ahead, I'll take over for now."

"Not really tired Boss, those Red Bulls, well lets just say I had three to many." He smiled a bit. "I'll be fine, get some sleep Boss."

Gibbs nodded. "If you see or hear anything, ANYTHING at all McGee you wake me up. Do you understand me?"

"Loud and clear boss." McGee gave Gibbs a firm nod in response.

**NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS**

Tony glanced over at Ziva; this was torture. She looked so amazing right now and he wanted take her and make her his right now, but couldn't. It would have to wait. "So you're coming over on Thursday, I'm making you dinner."

Ziva smiled. "You are? Who knew that you were such a great cook Tony? I had always pictured you as the TV dinner type of person, but every meal you have made me has been very delicious."

"Well I'd like to think that desert is much better than dinner." He replied his eyes scanning the darkness.

"Oh well you are right, desert is much better than dinner. It's my favorite part of the meal." Ziva cast Tony a devilish grin. "In fact," she slid closer to him, "I think I would like some desert right now." She ran her fingers down his chest.

"Here? Right now?" Tony questioned her.

"Why not, are you a chicken Tony?"

"Oh that's definitely not the case. You have no idea how bad I want you right now." He leaned in and caught a whiff of her scent, his heart started to race. "Ziva…" he moaned and could feel himself getting weaker and weaker, before he finally caved in.

*******

Tony buttoned his shirt back up and smiled over at Ziva. "You are absolutely amazing Ziva David. I had no idea you were that flexible I just hope you didn't wake any of the neighbors. Not sure how we would explain that to Gibbs." He watched as Ziva got dressed, and licked his lips at how the light reflected off her skin.

"Well that is just a sneak peak, Thursday night, for desert there will be a lot more where that came from." She grinned and then winked at Tony. "If you can handle it that is."

"Oh I can handle it, there is no doubt that I can handle it. I am definitely looking forward to it." While he still had time, Tony leaned in and stole another kiss. Pausing he rested his forehead against hers. "I'm a very lucky man, and thanks to you Ziva I am the happiest man alive."

**NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS**

Hearing footsteps in the hallway McGee went to check it out. "It's you." He spoke up. "Everything ok?"

Katrina nodded. "Yeah, jus' can't sleep, I didn't wake you? Did I?" she replied softly.

"Nah, thanks too three Red Bulls I am wide wake." He smiled at her and watched as Kat walked into the living room.

"DiNozzo an' Ziva are still out there? It's 1a.m, they should go home, get some sleep." Kat sighed sitting down on the couch.

"They really don't mind, it's their job." He got a look from Katrina. "What?"

"Are you speakin' for you or the team McGee, because I am sure both Tony an' Ziva had better things to do than sit outside Casa De Gibbs' an' look out for my stalker."

"For the team. Right now you're one of us, and we have your back. That's what we do."

Kat sat silent for a moment, "I should let him kill me, so that you all can go back to your lives. It's not fair an' isn't right McGee."

McGee felt a twinge of anger. "No. No you shouldn't. Trust me, when I say that none of us mind this. This is our job and we don't mind it." McGee watched as Katrina's eyes flicked towards him, the lights from a car as it passed down the street reflected off his face. It brought Tim's attention to Kat's black eye and he sighed to himself. "Kat?" his browed furrowed together. "Can I ask you a question? I would completely understand if you didn't want to answer it."

"It's a free country McGee." She moved around on the couch, she was feeling uneasy. Kat still had yet to feel comfortable at Gibbs'. As much as he told her to make herself feel at home, and that she was more than welcomed there, Kat couldn't do it.

"Why do you let Neil hit you like that?" He watched the girl for a moment and he could tell by her body language she was even more uncomfortable than before, but he was surprised when she actually answered him.

"I keep hopin' he'll change. That somewhere in that viscous interior is the man I originally fell in love wit'. I still love him so much, an' I'm scared of lettin' go. I'm not dumb McGee I know what he is doin' is wrong but I can't help it – I love him ya know? If I leave him what happens when I find out he's all I can get? What if he's right when he tells me no one would ever want me an' that I'm ugly an' worthless?"

"He's lying to you Kat. None of what he said is true." He quickly shook his head protesting what Kat had told him. He felt angry at what he was hearing. That Neil would say such things to her and that Kat actually believed Neil. "You're not ugly, you're not worthless and I hate to quote DiNozzo, but you can do so much better than Chris Brown 2.0." He watched as the girl pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. He knew that was a sign of fear, she didn't want to let anyone in and she was protecting herself.

The action of pulling her knees up to her chest was rather painful, her ribs felt like they were on fire. But suddenly Kat felt violated. She knew that everything McGee was saying was probably right, but as soon as she started to agree with him, the voice in her head, the voice of Neil kept telling her otherwise. Kat had never felt so torn before.

"He won't stop Kat. I know you want him too, but guys like Neil, they only get worse and it's only a matter of time before his abuse lands you on a steel slab with Ducky." He studied Kat for a few moments. "I have a sister who is a few years younger than you, her name is Sarah and if any guy ever laid a hand on her…"

Kat quickly cut him off. "You'd kill 'im right? Yeah," Kat nodded. "Both Gibbs an' DiNozzo gave me the same speech. Doesn't change how my heart feels McGee. Sure my head is tellin' me to run like the hell, but my heart can't bring myself to do it, it just brings me back to 'im."

The agent in him listened, but the over protective big brother in him wanted to hug Kat and then go and kill Neil. It never ceased to amaze McGee how abusers could make the person they are abusing feel so small and make them think so little of themselves. Kat may not have been tired physically, but McGee could see that emotionally the poor girl was exhausted. "Just remember that everyone at NCIS has your back, and if you need help don't hesitate to ask, and you won't be bothering us, and we won't mind. Even Tony," Tim chuckled, "won't mind helping." He could see a small smile cross Kat's lips. "Sure Tony can be a jerk but when the shit hits the fan he's definitely the one I'd want there." He knew what she was thinking and he smirked pointing a finger at Kat, "If you tell him I said that I will deny it."

"You're secret is safe wit' me, I will not tell a soul," her eyes wandered to Blaze, who had recently strolled into the room. "However, Blaze here can't keep his mouth shut, you have to watch out for 'im."

Tim laughed. "You better not tell anyone Blaze…" Tim said trying to scold the dog but failed as Blaze jumped into his lap and covered his face with kisses. He was sure that Blaze and Jethro would get along great he made a mental note to set up a play date for Jethro.

"I think I'm gunna try this sleep thing again, thanks for listenin' McGee." Katrina stood to her feet. "You're a pretty cool guy, Abby is definitely one lucky girl…and don't worry I know all about rule number 12 and I won't tell anyone."

He wanted to ask how she knew and then tell her not to tell anyone, but McGee let it go. As long as she kept his relationship with Abby safe, he didn't care. Hearing the bedroom door close, McGee sat down on the couch, and turned the light on. Flipping open a magazine he planned on reading he heard footsteps and turned thinking it was Kat again.

"Do you love her?" Gibbs spoke

McGee was caught off guard. "Kat? No, Boss it's not like that." Gibbs approached him and then slapped him on the back of the head.

"Abby? Do you love her?" He stared at his agent who looked like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Uhm I think." He was definitely nervous. "I mean yes. Yeah Boss I love her." McGee swallowed hard as Gibbs stepped closer to him and their noses were on inches apart.

"You hurt her and I will kill you McGee, do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal clear." McGee's voice nervously cracked. He stood confused as Gibbs walked into the basement and then followed him to the doorway. "So does this mean you're ok with it?"

"It goes against my rule, but I would have broken it for someone special, so if you love her, then yes I am ok with it."

McGee smiled widely, so much it hurt his cheeks. "Thanks Boss."

"Just remember what I said McGee you hurt her-"

"And you will kill me." McGee finished his sentence.


	10. What Makes This Night Different

**A/N: Sorry for the long delay I had finals and I am trying to move from one state to another. Anyways it might be sometime until I get chapter 11 up as I am packing for the move and what not. In the meantime please enjoy this chapter. Kind feedback is always welcomed. I love to know who is reading my fics. Comments are my crack basically. They make me smile (hint-hint)**

Katrina stood in the middle of Tony's kitchen, it was already 5:30p.m and at 7:00p.m Ziva would be here. "Hey can you take the cake out of the oven?" Katrina asked as she peered into a pot that had boiling water and Matzoh balls inside. She as Tony put on an oven mitt and pulled out the pan.

"It's not really cake, there's no flour in it." He placed it on the counter.

"You can't have flour during Passover DiNozzo, hence the Matzoh's, she pointed to a box of Matzoh. He looked confused.

"They don't look really tasty, they kind of look like giant crackers." He pulled one out and broke off a piece. Taking a small bite he chewed for a few moments. "Do they make beer flavored Matzoh?"

Katrina sighed. "No Tony they do not make beer flavored Matzoh. I am sure when the Hebrews were trying to run from the grips of the ancient Egyptians and slavery the last thing on their mind was 'oh I wonder if we can make this taste like beer." Katrina sighed a bit. "I mean they didn't have time to wait for the bread to rise, so really Tony you think they had the time to make it taste like beer? In fact I don't even think they had beer back then."

"Good point." He gazed around the kitchen. "Is anything I can do to help?" He reached into a package of cookies and took one only to have his hand slapped by Katrina. "What was that for?"

"You're going to spoil your dinner." She pointed a finger at him. "No more! I didn't work my ass off for you to spoil your dinner with Oreo's."

"You also lied to Gibbs." Tony smirked.

"Oh no," Katrina said laughing and shaking her head. "YOU lied to Gibbs. I just said I was coming over, you're the one who fabricated the story about watching _Backdraft_ and _Ladder 49_ and then having me analyze it for you. That was all your idea Special Agent DiNozzo, so you lied."

"You lied by omission Investigator Anderson, it's still lying."

Katrina narrowed her eyes. "I can always go back to Gibbs house for the night, and let you figure the rest of this out, then I wouldn't be lying at all."

"You wouldn't?" There was a hint of fear in his green eyes.

"Well I wouldn't want to be lying to Gibbs by being here." Kat put her hand on her hip and casted Tony a challenging look.

"Did I say lying? I meant telling Gibbs an awesome story; there was absolutely no lying on your part. It was all me."

Katrina looked into the boiling pot again and turned the flame off. "I'm going to have to go home soon." She mused. "I can't stay with Gibbs forever, if I want to make things work with Neil I am going to have to go home."

"Do you really want to make things work? I mean he's done it before he will do it again; they always do." Tony leaned against the counter nibbling on a carrot stick.

"He deserves a chance DiNozzo."

"No he doesn't. He's an asshole Kat. Why let him do that to you? You don't deserve that, you're way to good for him."

Kat smiled a bit. "Thanks for the vote of confidence DiNozzo, but he's my fiancé, and –"

Tony quickly cut Kat off mid sentence. "Do you love him?"

Kat stared at Tony then turned her back to him trying to busy herself.

"Do you?" He was not going to stop until he got answer from her.

Kat spun around and Tony was alarmed to see tears falling down her cheeks. "I – I don't know Tony ok? I think I do. I know I did before. I've been with him for almost three years now. He was my first real boy friend, my first everything. I have to love him I don't have a choice."

"You don't have to love him, and it's ok if you don't."

"You don't get it obviously." Kat turned her back to him and moved a pot to another burner, keeping her back towards him Kat continued to work. "He was my first EVERYTHING Tony, if I don't love him then everything meant nothing."

"Ok you'll have to help me out here because I am not catching on."

"I lost my virginity to him Tony, I HAVE to love him. I don't have a choice, if I don't that makes me some typical slut, I don't want that. Though it could be worse, I could be pregnant and end up like one of those chicks on a talk show."

"Oh. Ohhhhh. I uhm –" he had to think for a moment and realized he would damned if he did and damned if he didn't. "It doesn't mean you're a slut Kat. It just means it didn't work out, you thought it would and you gave it your best shot, but it wasn't meant to be." He paused and started to wonder if maybe he had gotten into one of McGee's Womens' magazines because he had no idea where any of this was coming from. "If it was meant to be than Neil wouldn't hurt you like he does. He can say he loves you all he wants, but that black eye isn't love; it's hate. Don't waste your time getting married to someone who hates you. You'll find someone who doesn't."

"Oh yeah like who?" Kat asked rinsing a fork off in the sink. "'Cause I don't see guys lining up to ask me out."

"Like the autopsy gremlin." Tony shot back.

Katrina turned around. "Who?"

"The guy who works with Ducky, Jimmy Palmer. I think he likes you."

Kat crossed her arms and gave him a doubtful look. "You're on drugs Tony, or had too much Matzoh."

"Gibbs and I were down with Ducky the other day and the guy wouldn't stop asking about you."

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever Tony." She grabbed some plates. "Grab those two bowls and help me set the table." Tony followed her with the two bowls in hand and set the on the plates had placed on the table.

"There's only two…" Tony pointed out.

"Thank you Captain Obvious."

"Aren't you staying? You have to stay I don't know what to do."

"Two is company three is a crowd, DiNozzo, besides Ziva is Jewish she will know what to do. I'm just helping you set it up. Wooing her is all up to you." Kat smiled and patted his shoulder. "Also I still think you're nuts about Palmer."

"Please. I'll get down and beg you if I have too. Kat come on, please." He pouted a little.

"Fine! Fine I will stay! Stop pouting it's sad."

"No one can't resist the Big D." He smiled proud of himself. "As for Palmer he's definitely into you. You should ask him out. I could ask him out for you."

"NO! NO! You do that and I will hurt you. Don't do anything, just leave it alone. Last I checked a guy asking about me doesn't mean "he's into me" as you would say. He's just asking questions, there doesn't have to be anything like that behind those questions." She walked into the kitchen grabbed some silverware, another bowl, and a plate. "Grab the Haggadah's." she pointed to the Passover prayer books on a small table.

"The what?"

"The prayer books, grab the prayer books." She grunted. "Over there."

Tony walked over and picked them up and started to flip through the pages. "Uh Kat… what are these little strange things, they're like weird shapes or something."

Kat placed everything on the table and turned to Tony. "It's the Hebrew alphabet Tony, that's in Hebrew."

"I can't read Hebrew."

"That's why the second half is in English. You do know how to read English don't you?"

He made a face, "yes I know how to read English."

"The centerfold in Playboy doesn't count as reading." She smirked placing things on the table for dinner.

"No more talking to Ziva for you." He pointed a finger at her. "It makes you rather snarky."

"DiNozzo, I don't need to talk to Ziva to be snarky. You just make it so easy, that's all." She looked up at him and gave Tony her best smile.

"You know if you weren't helping me with this, I would use my super agent skills and search for embarrassing facts on you."

"You would be searching for a very long time Special Agent DiNozzo." She poked her tongue at him. "Go change, you're not wearing THAT to dinner Tony."

"Hey there is nothing wrong with this shirt, it's a really good shirt. The More cowbell skit is a Saturday Night Live classic." He looked down at his blue shirt, written across it in white lettering it said. _I've gotta fever and the only prescription is more cowbell_. "Christopher Walken, Will Ferrell, Blue Öyster Cult. and Don't Fear The Reaper! A freaking classic."

Katrina just blinked at him a few times. "Blah, blah, blah. It's Passover Tony! Change! Now!" She shouted pointing to the direction of his room.

Tony pouted a bit and turned on his heel. "Fine, but I am not going to be happy about it."

"That's too bad, I'll give you my cell phone and you can call someone who cares."

"You can take your phone and shove it up your ass." Tony mumbled moping down the hallway.

"I heard that Agent DiNozzo."

"Of course you did." He mused.

**NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS**

Ziva had no idea that Tony was planning this, nor did she have any idea that Tony knew anything about Passover, so this was a surprise; but it was a good surprise. One Ziva would never forget. "Tony," she smiled upon seeing the lavish display on the table, and the beautiful setup.

"So," he grinned at Ziva pulling her close to him and kissing her. "You like?"

"Tony," a tear formed in her eye. "I love it." No one had ever done anything like this for her. She was touched. "Thank you," she returned the kiss.

"I'm not going to lie to you David, I had help. I would like to say I did this all by myself, but I didn't. Katrina helped me."

Ziva was still smiling. "It's the thought that counts Tony," she spoke cupping his face in his hands and kissing him. "It's sweet, thank you."

"He didn't cook either, so the food won't kill you." Katrina teased carrying in a loaf of bread.

"Hey I happen to be a really good cook. I haven't had any complaints." He turned and gave Katrina a glance. "Ask Ziva."

"He is right. Tony can cook, you should try it once." Ziva pushed a few locks of her hair behind her ears. "Katrina this is amazing, where did you learn about Pesach?"

"My aunt was Jewish and on Passover we would go there for dinner. It was really interesting, and I always look forward to it. I did call her for some help. I couldn't remember some of the things and I wanted her Matzoh ball soup recipe. It's so good." She could feel her mouth watering already. "I wasn't going to stay and intrude on your dinner but Tony basically forced me."

"I am glad that you did stay, there is too much food her for two people. Though I have no doubt that Tony could eat it all. After all you did help with all of this, it would not be right if you did not stay and join us."

"There is no backing out now Kat, you must stay for the Festival of Lights." Both Katrina and Ziva stared at Tony. "What?"

"Hanukah is the Festival of Lights, Tony." Ziva corrected him as he smiled and laughed a little.

"I knew that, I just wanted to see if you two knew that, and apparently you did. Congratulations you passed professor DiNozzo's class."

Katrina rolled her eyes. "Whatever Tony. We should get started, it's already after sundown."

"We should," Ziva agreed. "Thank you again Katrina. I have not had a Pesach meal since I have been in the states."

"Thank Tony it was his idea, I just cooked the food and helped him out with the complicated stuff, which in his case was everything." Katrina teased as she got a glance and a snort from Tony. "Ziva would you like to start?"

A smile crossed Ziva's face as she traced her fingers around the Haggadah. "I would like that, yes." She opened the Haggadah. Unlike Prayer books in America a Haggadah was opened from what is usually the back cover to the front cover. This of course left Tony confused for a little. He finally caught on when Katrina and Ziva explained it to him. Tony being Tony played it off like he that already and was giving both Ziva and Katrina another one of his quizzes. Smiling at Tony Ziva began to read from the Haggadah, "What makes this night different from all other nights?" Ziva asked in perfect Hebrew then translated it into English for the benefit of Katrina and Tony.

The more she spoke in Hebrew the more and more Tony found himself smiling. Sure he had heard ziva speak in Hebrew before, but it never sounded so beautiful as it did right now. He knew that this night really meant something to her, and he knew that Ziva was enjoying this. She read all the prayers with such passion. There were songs too, and she sang them beautifully. He was a bit disappointed when both Ziva and Katrina told him he was too old to look for something called the Afikomen. Apparently it was where someone, an adult, would hide a half of the matzoh, then the children of the household would search for it. The child who found it would get a prize. In Katrina's family they got five dollars, in Ziva's family they would get candies of some kind. Tony was upset that he wouldn't be getting either, and tried to say they were discriminating against his age. That argument didn't last long, Ziva gave him her evil eyes and Tony quickly shut up and allowed her to carry on with the prayer.

Dinner finally came and it couldn't have been soon enough with all the wine they had been drinking Tony felt himself buzzing, that and he was also starving. The food had been teasing him all night with it delicious scent. Now he was finally getting a chance to eat it. There definitely was not going to be any leftovers, not with him having three helpings. There was a bit more prayer after dinner and with a full stomach and alcohol in his system Tony was finding it hard to stay awake , but as his buzz continued to wear off he became more alert. It also helped that Ziva looked amazing. Her beauty and his inability too keep his eyes off of her made staying awake no sweat. Once everything was over, Katrina stuck around long enough to help do the dishes before leaving for the night.

Tony looked down at Ziva as she rested her head on his lap. "Can I tell you something?" Tony cautiously asked. It was now or never.

"Of course you can Tony." Ziva saw a hint of fear in his eyes and started to get scared herself. "Tony what is wrong? Is everything ok?"

Tony nodded. "Everything is fine, I just-" he closed his eyes for a moment as Ziva sat upright. "I just wanted to tell you that, well, I uhm, Ziva David I love you." There he said it and at the moment Tony spoke those words to his Israeli Princess he felt his heart flip-flopping inside of him. What if she didn't feel the same way back? What if he had just chased her off by saying that? What if telling Ziva he loved her meant he was now going to lose her, forever. It would jeopardize the team and Gibbs would slap head slap him so hard that Tony was sure his great-grandfather would feel it. These simple words could make or break everything. The seconds ticked by and seemed like minuets. Very long minuets.

Ziva sat smiling at Tony, he had told her what she had longed to hear, and never before had Ziva felt so alive, so happy. "Tony," she cupped his face in her hands and leaned in for a passionate kiss, her lips lingering on his for sometime. "I love you too."

Tony couldn't believe what he was hearing. Had she just said she loved him? "What? I mean you do?" Jeanne wasn't real. Jeanne was nothing. She was just a puppet in his game, a pawn piece in a game of chess. But with Ziva this was all real. Tony was laying it out on the lie. He was going to give Ziva his heart and his everything, if she would have him. Once Ziva had asked him if he regretted not having a family around the holidays. Sure a part of him did, but he had never found anyone he could do that with; until now. Every time he looked at Ziva Tony could see himself growing old with her. He wanted her face to be the first thing he saw in the morning and the last thing he saw before he went to bed. He loved Ziva that much.

"Of course I do Tony." Ziva's voice broke him out of his house-with-the-white-picket-fence dream.

Tony felt a grin tug at the corner of his mouth. He pulled Ziva in close to him and stole a kiss. "You're the only girl for me Officer David." He scooped Ziva up into his arms carrying her to his room. Tonight he was going to make love to her like he never did before.


End file.
